Of Shadows and Love
by Ninjawitch
Summary: What if Elphaba had a mysterious and ancient power that no one knew of? What if the Wizard was up to no good and intended to destroy the Time Dragon? When Galinda finds her roommate bleeding out in her bed, the course of events changes drastically, setting history on a course that no one could have predicted. Gelphie. 'Nuff said.
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own wicked, I just occasionally steal- I MEAN LEASE-the characters from GM. I honestly don't think I'll have to put this at the top of all the chapters so I'm not gonna. **

**A/N: This is my first fanfic, so go easy on me in any reviews, please? Also this will be rated T for the early chapters and slowly move into M gelphie goodness as it goes on. You have been warned, MWAHAHAHA!**

Galinda Upland lay attempting sleep beneath her fluffy pink sheets, but sleep continued to elude her, being chased away by worried thoughts of her roommate who had been coming home late every night and been exhausted for about a week, it was wearing on both the bubbly blonde and the stoic green girl. Galinda sighed again as she rolled over and checked her clock again. 1:30 AM. She rolled over and groaned in frustration, what was taking her so long? Her thoughts turned to scenarios, exploring them and ruling them out in order, the scenarios turning darker and darker. Thunder cracked, reminding her that it was raining and adding to her fear. _That's it! That's the last straw, I'm going to look for her!_ Galinda had barely sat up in bed when the door to the room clicked open and shut.

"Elphie?" The sound of socked feet stumbling in the dark was the only thing that greeted her. She grew slightly alarmed. Elphaba never stumbled. She could see the tall, lanky form of her best friend limping toward her wardrobe.

"Elphie!? Are you alright?!" She heard a hard swallow, then a rasping voice replied.

"I'm fine Galinda," She paused to swallow again. "I'm just tired, go to sleep." Galinda's flaxen eyebrows drew together. This didn't sound right, Elphie didn't sound right. She heard Elphaba collapse into bed,

"Goodnight Elphie."

"Fresh dreams Galinda." Came the muffled response.

Even after Elphaba's return Galinda only slept in fits, waking for no apparent reason and at random times during the night, but at some point she sank into a fitful rest, woken only by rays of sun streaming through the window and falling across her face. She turned her head to see Elphaba curled on her side in her bed. 11:52 AM. Something was definitely wrong. The blonde was up and across the room faster than she thought possible. The second she saw Elphaba's face, she had to cover her mouth with a hand to repress a shriek. The normally leaf colored skin was pale, a dark bruise covering half of her face and small burns all over her cheeks and forehead, with two red tracks going across her face like the trails left behind by tears. She tentatively nudged her, calling her name. Receiving no response after several tries she began to fear the worst. Maybe she was unconscious. Maybe she was in a coma. Her heart stopped. Maybe she was dead. A pale hand flew toward the elegant green neck, only to stop in horror. That beautiful, elegant, green neck had a large, dark purple, hand-shaped bruise spread across it, but instead of fingers, the bruise appeared to have claws. Small red burns also adorned her neck. She felt tears well in her eyes. Changing targets she closed her eyes as she picked up a wrist to check for a pulse. She felt a faint, gentle pulsing from her friend's wrist. She released a breath that she hadn't known she had been holding and opened her eyes, only to quickly avert them to the foot of the bed. She noticed a dark patch on the sheets at about where two verdant knees should be resting. Horror stricken, she carefully pulled back the spartan covers to reveal a blood drenched knee, bone shining through to the surface. She looked back up toward her friend's face, only to spot more red splotches staining her night cloths. This was the last straw, and Galinda let out a scream of horror, with a shrill cadence of surprise as Elphaba started to wake, along with what she was sure was the rest of the dormitory if all the crashes and cursing were anything to judge by. Nanny and Nessarose were the first to reach the door, followed by Milla, to discover a stricken Galinda cradling a semi-conscious Elphaba. A trio of screams alerted the blonde to the presence of the other three women, but all she could do was stare down at her potentially dying green friend, trying to keep her awake.

Elphaba had been woken by the shrill scream of a very frightened blonde. She had tried to tell her that she was okay but she couldn't force words out of her swollen throat, all she could manage was a slight groan when Nessa and company burst in through the door, it was bad enough with only Galinda knowing, Nessa made it exponentially worse. Nessa wheeled herself forward quickly and rolled up next to Elphaba as more people crowded to the door, shrieking for a doctor. Elphaba felt her lids drifting shut and could hear the frantic pitch of her colleagues reach an irritating level, and despite Galinda and Nessa's best efforts, she slipped back to unconsciousness. Galinda finally regained her self control and presence of mind. She picked the twig-like girl up bridal style and began to rush through the door and out into the hall. Milla, seeing what she was doing ran ahead and cleared the way, students filling in behind them and forming an impromptu procession. Fiyero, Boq and Averic met them halfway to the infirmary. Fiyero took Elphaba from Galinda's arms and sprinted the rest of the way to the infirmary with Elphaba's small group of friends hot on his heels. They broke into the infirmary screaming at the top of their lungs for a doctor. They were lucky and a doctor had been speaking with a nurse nearby and looked up. Immediately he started shouting orders, applying first aid, readying a gurney and wheeling her into surgery. The procession of gossips that had stuck with them in their desperate flight across the grounds to the infirmary were still hanging around to find out what had been wrong but were quickly chased off by Fiyero and the rest of Elphaba's friends. Galinda sat down at first but as the hours passed stood and began wearing a hole in the floor when she was eventually stopped by Nessa.

"Miss Galinda, I understand that you're worried, believe me, I am too, but you needn't take it out on the floor, whatever happened to my thick-headed, stubborn, thorny, sister probably had nothing to do with it, whatever it was can only be the Unnamed God's punishment for her disbelief and sins."

Galinda couldn't believe what she'd just heard, Elphaba could be dying and yet here her own sister is, insulting and damning her. She was just about to go off on the cripple when the doctor exited the surgery room. Immediately her focus shifted to the doctor and she rushed over to him.

"I assume you're her roommate?" Galinda could only nod as she steeled herself for whatever was to come. He nodded back as if he had suspected this answer.

"Miss Elphaba's injuries are quite serious, it was touch and go for a while, several of the major veins and arteries have been severed and she appears to have been beaten repeatedly, do you happen to know anything about that?"

Galinda just shook her head, one hand over her mouth, tears spilling down her cheeks. The doctor looked at those assembled behind her, then he took her elbow and led her to the observation room next to the surgery Elphaba had been in. He pulled an item from the sink and balanced the tip and the hilt of the dagger in the palms of his hands.

"We pulled this from Miss Elphaba's back, we almost mistook it for a small rock."

A wicked, barbed blade of some darkly colored metal glinted evilly in the light and the obsidian black hilt seemed to suck all light from the room. There was still blood on it and evil radiated off of the dagger in high powered waves, causing fear to course strongly through her veins at the mere sight of it. The doctor saw her reaction and had the good sense to wrap it in cloth before she out-right fainted. She slid to the ground and he knelt next to her. "If you wish to see her Miss Galinda, she has a private room, 116." Galinda nodded and with the help of the doctor stood and was escorted to Elphaba's room along with Nessa and the others.

About twenty minutes later, when they reached her best friends room, she nearly collapsed. Elphaba was asleep on the bed, her leg in a cast, her left arm in a sling, air tubes helping her to breath through her swollen throat and likely injured lungs, she had a split lip, stitches adorned her face and what could be seen of her body. The cut-off sleeves of the hospital gown revealed the her arms had been covered in cuts and burns. Other cuts, burns, bruises, gashes, and yet more stitches adorned her exposed clavicle. The mere thought of her friend's condition brought Galinda to tears. She sat down in the chair closest to her friend as the doctor informed the others of her condition. Galinda's thoughts drifted to happy moments and the strange effect this green girl had on her.

"When will she wake up?" The doctor looked at her, mildly surprised at the interruption.

"The anesthetic should where off soon, we didn't use much." Galinda nodded at this and leaned forward, resting her head and arms on the edge of the bed as she gently took Elphaba's hand from where it lay next to her. The doctor continued to prattle on about some medical thing or other, but Galinda could only focus on the green hand in hers. The touch felt electric and she reveled in it. The doctor said something to Galinda that she didn't quite hear.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I said, do you know of any relatives that she would especially like to have with her in such a time other than Miss Nessa here?"

Galinda frowned, shouldn't Nessa be able to answer this?

"Her grandfather, the Eminent Thropp, he lives in Colwen Grounds in Munchkin land."

After the doctor left, Galinda turned to Nessa.

"Why did he have to ask me? You should know." Nessa sighed.

"Miss Galinda, I may be her sister, but that doesn't mean we are close. She's only my half sister, she's thorny to say the least, she's quite appalling, she has horrible manners, no one could ever even want to be friends with such an appalling creature and to top it all off, she's that hideous gre-"

Galinda's hand made a loud crack as it connected with Nessa's face and knocked her out of her chair.

"Leave." Galinda's voice growled over the surprised admonishments of Nanny and a few of the others in the room. Nanny put Nessa back into her chair and left with her to go back to their room. Avaric was the first to speak after this little outburst.

"Well, geez Glin', it's not like she insulted you."

"I know she's cold and a brat, but there are other ways to shut her up." A faint, raspy, voice came from behind her, causing Galinda to whip around.

Elphaba was sitting up in bed with a smile tugging at her face. Galinda rushed over and hugged Elphaba fiercely.

"Can't. Breathe."

Galinda released her nearly squashed roommate from the hug but held tightly onto her by the shoulders, unwilling to break contact with her friend.

"Elphaba Thropp! You never scare me like that ever again!"

Elphaba, stunned as she was by the blonde's reaction could only attempt to nod, before she remembered the state of her throat and winced. This caught Galinda's attention.

"Elphie, who did this? Why didn't you say you were hurt? I knew you were being bullied, but I didn't think..."

Elphaba looked down at her hands and for a time she didn't answer confused and touched as she was by how much the bubbly blonde cared. Finally, she licked her lips and swallowed.

"It wasn't a who, not as far as I can tell at least and my investigations haven't dug up anything, just that they want something that's on the grounds of Shiz..."

She trailed off with a faraway look in her eyes. Galinda began to gently run her hands through her friends raven trusses in a soothing way and wrapped her unoccupied arm around her injured friend as gently as possible, holding her close like this made her heart beat slightly faster and she felt a protectiveness towards her.

"What did this to you?" she said in almost a whisper. Elphaba swallowed again, a little distracted by her roommate's proximity. This question brought her thoughts back to the current line of inquiry.

"Wraiths."

A gasp filled the room with that one simple word, Galinda's arm tightened around her while her hand came to a dead stop. Fiyero, Averic, Milla, Crope, Tibbett, and Boq all stared at Elphaba as if she had just killed five people. Wraiths were the most dangerous beings in all of Oz. Made of pure shadows and the darkness found in the hearts of the beings they consumed, even low level Wraiths were downright dangerous, if not fatal. Galinda, first to recover, knitted her eyebrows together and frowned.

"Elphie, why were you even near a wraith, let alone in striking distance?"

Elphaba looked down and muttered something. Averic cupped one hand around an ear.

"What?"

She avoided all eye contact.

"I said I was patrolling and laying wards to keep them out."

They gasped again and Galinda drew back to look at her with a look she couldn't quite place. Disappointment? Hurt? Worry? She fidgeted.

"What could possibly make you think that you could keep Wraiths at bay all by yourself?"

Elphaba fidgeted again and she turned her palm over and held it out for inspection. Pale green scars covered her palm in a pattern, twisting out from underneath the bandages that wrapped her arm. They culminated into a hurricane shape in the center of her palm, straight lines going from the center of her palm, lines created geometric patterns similar to those coming from the sun in old tapestries and drawings, minute runes perfectly scrawled into the skin, leaving them sharp and clear, easy to read but for their small size. As they watched she brought the hand down onto her lap, palm still facing upward.

"The first time I encountered a Wraith I was very young, ten maybe, Nessa and I were out for a walk down in Quadling country while Frexspar preached to some new converts. It was late and we heard a scream, Nessa demanded we go see because someone might be hurt. So we rounded the corner to discover a pack of Wraiths feeding on a man and someone else, a child. Neither Nessa nor I knew what they were, so being children we yelled for them to stop hurting those poor people. The Wraiths turned on us with eyes like fire. They rushed towards us and I could feel Nessa's fear. Being over-protective as I am, I jumped in front of Nessa and held my palms out toward them. The Wraiths laughed and didn't bother stopping,"

The scars started to glow, apparently they were on both arms. The glow now revealing the scars that swirled up to her elbows.

"When the first one touched me, I felt something on my hand, like ink, but freezing cold. I heard Nessa scream, one of them had touched her and started feeding, I pushed my palm out towards it, the contact seamed to sear both of us and they all focused on me. Nightmares and horrible memories surfaced at their touch, but I knew they weren't feeding on me because for some reason, I felt no fear."

From the round spot where the scars converged a round specter shaped like a fireball appeared, made entirely out of light. Elphaba swallowed again.

"They converged on me in an inky, oily, cloud it felt disgusting. Before I really understood what was happening, a light was coming from my palms and forearms, and the Wraiths began to disintegrate into sparkling black sand. I don't remember anything after that, just waking up with these scars and having Nessa tell me that I had fainted after they attacked me."

The specter dwindled in size and eventually vanished, then the glow from her scars vanished and the room was once again lit only by the candles along the walls. Elphaba clenched her hand into a fist and looked to the side as she continued to speak.

"Ever since that day, I've been waiting, watching for them, having to hide what I could do from everyone around me and push everyone away so that no one could get attached to me and get hurt because of it. But, last week, I caught a Wraith attacking someone by the library, and being the only person that I know of that can stop them, I've been patrolling the boundaries of the school and laying wards to keep them out so I could get some sleep."

They were quiet for quite some time, Fiyero was the first to speak.

"If you can fight them off, what happened?"

Elphaba grimaced.

"Last night, there was a spike in their activity, a blitz of sorts. I got ambushed at the quad. I may be strong, but I can only take so many Wraiths at once. Fourteen or fifteen are no problem, but eighteen or twenty? Anyway they ambushed me while I was laying the last ward to seal off the campus, burying the last crystal to bind the wards so that they last for at least a month. I only had to finish the chant and I would be able to go back to the dorm and sleep. They attacked me all at once first, then they melded to form one giant Wraith. Long story short, I finished the ward in the middle of the fight and it dissolved into sand, at which point it started to rain and I limped my way back to the dormitory."

The group just gaped at her. She felt uncomfortable under their scrutiny and began to fidget again. She began to worry that they would run away from her. A pale finger reached out and tilted her head up, forcing hazel and blue eyes to meet. Tears were spilling from the blonde's eyes as she looked at her wonderful, beautiful, friend.

"Elphaba, you don't need to hide anymore. You aren't alone."

This one sentence meant more to Elphaba than anyone could have ever guessed.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning Elphaba awoke to the smell of porridge and green tea, as well as a certain bubbly blonde next to her bed. Elphaba sat up quickly, stressing her stitches and wincing at the pulled muscles beneath them. Galinda rushed to help Elphaba up, a slightly worried look on her face.

"You really shouldn't have tried to sit up that quickly, did you have a nightmare or something?" She sat back down and handed Elphaba her tea. Elphaba gratefully took a sip.

"No, it's just, I was raised to never be reclining in public because of possible," She cleared her throat and turned a slightly darker shade of green. "Implications." Realizing what she meant Galinda blushed a bit.

"Anyway, while I appreciate the breakfast, why are you here? I don't really think it's worth your time to be stuck getting me breakfast, and what's with the nickname and sudden care? Less than a day ago you would have been ecstatic at the prospect of my death... So why the sudden turn around?" Elphaba's eyes were guarded, and dare Galinda think it, hopeful. Galinda herself was shocked by a few things. Firstly, how can Elphaba be this sharp having just woken up? Secondly, her bluntness was quite incredible. Thirdly, why on earth would Elphaba not think that she was worth her time? Fourth and finally, how could Elphaba have thought that she would have been ecstatic at her death?! All the while Elphaba just gazed at her coolly over the top of her tea mug.

"You really scared me you know that? I don't loathe you, I may have once, but, now that I know for sure and it's not just a feeling anymore, now that I know that you were protecting me and everyone else... I just can't find it in me to hate you anymore. I- I'd like to try and be friends." Galinda's voice was so quiet and soft that at first Elphaba thought that she had heard wrong, and Galinda feared that Elphaba would go off on her, but then Elphaba smiled at her.

"I'd like that. But you still haven't answered my last question, why are you calling me Elphie?"

"Oh, I didn't realize I was doing it, do you mind?"

"It's a little perky, but no, I don't mind." She sipped her tea again, hoping to appease her protesting vocal chords. The blonde next to her smiled a little and then cocked her head slightly to the left, thinking.

"Alright, then you can call me Galinda."

"Sounds like a fair exchange." Elphaba picked up the porridge and spoon from the bedside table.

"So, what happened after I blacked out?" While Galinda talked Elphaba ate her porridge.

"Well, after you passed out I... I picked you up, you're incredibly light, and ran toward the infirmary then Fiyero took you the rest of the way, when we got to the infirmary we lucked out and a doctor was in, he and the active nurses took you directly into surgery, leaving the rest of us to wonder, you know, Nessa's really mean to you when you are out of the room, anyway, after the surgery the doctor pulled me aside and showed me a dagger that he says they took out of your back, it was in deep enough that they mistook the end of the hilt for a small rock. That thing radiated evil Elphie, it scared me. I know that Wraiths don't use material weapons, they don't need to, and I also know that you weren't lying when you told us about them, so I can only assume that you didn't tell us the whole story. What else happened?" Elphaba had been surprised that her previously disgusted roomie would pick her up, but that faded quickly when she asked her question.

"Some drunk guys thought it would be fun to mess with the resident weirdo, that's all." Elphaba wasn't looking at her again.

"Elphie, messing with people does not include stabbing them fatally."

"They got mad at my reaction, they were drunk! It's really nothing." The blonde sighed in frustration.

"Why do you always do that?" Elphaba finally looked at her with a confused expression.

"Do what?"

"Act like you don't matter! You always do it and to be honest it's a little disturbing. Did no one ever tell you that they loved you when you were little? Did your parents never hold you after something happened to you and let you cry on their shoulder, telling you everything was going to be okay?" Galinda could feel tears welling behind her eyes and refused to let them loose. Elphaba looked down at her hands.

"No. The first time that anyone showed me any affection was three years ago when I met my Grandfather, and the only time that anyone has ever told me that they love me was also my grandfather, two years ago. She was stunned, there was no way that was true.

"Wha-what? That can't be true, what about your mother?"

"She hated me. She was always intoxicated and repeatedly threatened to throw me in the lake."

"Nessa?"

"She saw me as proof of my mothers sins and resents me as the cause of her inability to walk, if I hadn't been born green mother wouldn't have been chewing all those milkflowers and Nessa would've been whole." Galinda was starting to crack.

"Shell?"

"We don't really know each other, he ran away when he was young, I haven't seen him since and only saw him once before he left, the day he was born." The blonde almost didn't want to know the answer to her next question.

"Your father?" Elphaba's eyes suddenly hardened and scowled.

"He's worse than all the rest of them, he's why Shell left. He's a horrible man and if he ever comes here I will throw him out the damn gates myself." She spat the words like they were poison and her eyes were filled with hatred, not a single ounce of care. Galinda began to cry at the thought of anyone having to grow up like that, completely unloved. The fire in Elphaba's eyes died instantly, replaced by confusion and she leaned forward to try and comfort her the best she could. Galinda felt strong green arms around her and she looked up to see Elphaba's still slightly confused face.

"Galinda, it's not like this is your fault, I mean, you sure as hell didn't raise me, and it's most definitely not your fault that I'm green, so why are you crying?"

"Because it's sad! Elphie, no one should ever have to live without love, have you ever loved anyone? Do you know what it's like to have a crush? Do you know how it feels to _be_ truly loved?" Elphaba thought for a minute, then she just shook her head.

"Galinda, I've never even had a friend, in case you haven't noticed, I'm GREEN. People hate me because of it and that's how it's always been and probably how it always will be. That's why I'm like this, when I was younger I thought the world hated me, therefore I have grown up hating it right back, I mean, if you think about it, my life is both inconsequential and not really worth living." Galinda pulled back and lay a hand on the side of Elphaba's face, noticing that Elphaba slightly flinched before her hand made contact.

"Is that why they got angry with you?" Elphaba made a bit of a face, she thought she had evaded the question.

"They got angry with me when I took one of them down, they pulled knives and threatened to kill me if I kept resisting. I told them to go ahead. One of them stabbed me from behind and then they left me alone, aiming a couple kicks at me on their way past. Look, like I said it's not-" She was silenced by an angry blonde.

"ELPHABA THROPP! DO NOT SAY THOSE DAMNED WORDS AGAIN! How could you react like that?! Sure your childhood sucked, but that's not much of a reason to have a death wish!"

"Galinda, as you said my childhood sucked but so does my life! I have no self-value except for possibly my intellect and when it's drilled into you from the day you were born that you are not important you develop a pension for getting hurt in the service of others or BECAUSE OF THINGS LIKE THIS! Therefore it's not-" She was cut off by a soft hand over her mouth and her tearfully angry friend's stubborn gaze.

"You. Matter. To. Me. So don't you ever say that you don't matter, don't say that it's not important. You are a beautiful person Elphie and it's everyone else's fault for not being able to ignore the green." They were very close at this point and Elphaba could feel her heart hammering away in her chest and she could only nodded, speech not being an option and even if she could speak she probably wouldn't be able to say anything due to the lump in her throat at the sentimentality of her newfound friend's words. Just as Galinda removed her hand and sat down in the chair next to the bed once again, Morrible burst in, blowing right on by a shocked Galinda to envelop Elphaba in a bright fabric-filled hug.

"Elphaba my dear! I just heard that you had been put into the infirmary! You must tell me what happened so that I can deal with the perpetrators accordingly!" Galinda saw this as a good time to move around Elphaba's bed to hide out of sight right up against it. Once the Head had seated herself in Galinda's recently vacated chair, the wood creaking under her massive bulk, and Elphaba told her an edited version of the part with the drunken men.

"Then they left, heading towards the three queens dormitory, and I headed back to Crage Hall to be discovered the next morning by Miss Galinda." Morrible nodded at this then she stood.

"Well, you must be exhausted after this ordeal, I'll vacate the premises so that you might have some rest." Elphaba silently nodded her thanks and Morrible swept out the door in the same flood of colors as she had arrived, when she was gone Elphaba spoke up.

"Unnamed God I hate that woman. She's just so creepy and, carp-like." Galinda giggled from her position against Elphaba's bed.

"Maybe she's a Carp in disguise!" They both laughed at that, when they finished making cracks about Morrible secretly being a Carp, Elphaba couldn't help the small smile that crept onto her face as she looked down at Galinda.

"What?"

"Well, one, I can see down your dress and you didn't notice until I said something," Galinda blushed furiously and covered her dress front with arms. While Galinda was preoccupied with the heat flushing through her body, two skinny green legs swung themselves over the side of the bed and a green hand was extended in her direction. "and secondly, you can get up now." Blushing even more at her foolishness she took the hand and was pulled to her feet, only to push it's owner back onto the bed.

"You can't stand on your leg! You need to rest!" Elphaba was struggling at this point, so Galinda straddled her, one knee next to either hip and Elphaba tried to push her off.

"I'll rest when I'm dead! Now I have more important things to do, like getting my homework from yesterday and you have classes to attend!" Galinda finally succeeded in pinning Elphaba's hands over her head on the bed spread.

"No one can leave the building they're in because it's blizzarding outside if you haven't noticed!" She pointed out the single window in the room to emphasize her point. Snow covered half the window and you could barely see ten-inches past that. Elphaba turned her attention back to the blonde above her and couldn't help a smirk.

"That means that _you_, are _stuck here_, with _me_."

"Yeah. S-" Elphaba reversed their positions so that she was on top of Galinda. She held her there and waited for a minute before getting off of her now apple red roommate.

"Anyway, it's about noon, let's get some lunch." Elphaba had limped half way to the door when Galinda's pale arms encircled her waist and drug her back onto the bed.

"_I _will get the food, you rest." Elphaba was immediately up, past the blonde, and out the door.

"I am going to get my own food and there is nothing you can do about." She cackled back at the stunned blonde. Galinda smiled as she darted out into the hall after her.

"Don't be so sure about that." She reached for Elphaba's hand but it slipped from her grasp as the green woman laughed and darted through the people in the hall, snaking around the furniture and down another hall. Galinda sprinted after her, rounding a corner and being grabbed by two slim arms and pulled against an unhealthily skinny body, one green hand over her mouth and the other around her hips. Elphaba's face came into view and she mumbled an incantation. Morrible, for the second time that day made an appearance in the infirmary, along with a short man wearing green breeches with a green and gold vest over a white button down shirt. They stopped mere feet from where the girls stood stock still against the wall.

"She doesn't seem to remember the Wraiths you sent after her, but that could just be the trauma speaking. The strange thing is that she is no different than before. It appears that the Wraiths didn't feed on her." The shorter man stroked his chin at this.

"You said she was powerful, maybe that has something to do with it."

"I very much doubt that. She's powerful but I don't think she's that powerful, I mean, Wraiths are the purest shadows in existence, given power by the souls that they feed upon, _I_ have a hard time dealing with them, and it doesn't help that you keep sending them here."

"Someone has been setting wards to keep them off-campus and none of the them ever return to me. In any case, I want the Thropps to be on my side. Especially this Elphaba, the sister I could care less about but from what you say of Elphaba she would be a valuable asset when it comes time to do what I came here to do and release the time dragon so that I can finally go home." Morrible nodded.

"And when you do, I shall be by your side, anyway, how do you intend to convert Elphaba to your cause. You're too old to woo her and she isn't really close to anyone." A wicked smile curved his lips.

"Oh I have my ways, and one way or another, she will join me." He cackled evilly and they walked off toward Morrible's office. Elphaba swallowed hard and her grip had tightened around Galinda. She turned around in her arms and looked up at her. Her attention was on the place where they had last seen the creepy duo. Her jaw was set and there were storm clouds in her eyes. Galinda could see the cogs turning in her head.

"Elphie." Elphaba kept her attention trained where it was. "Elphie." Galinda placed a hand on her cheek and turned her head to look at her. Her eyes returned to normal and she unclenched her jaw.

"Yeah?"

"Would you mind releasing me?" She looked down at her arms around that petite little waist, blushed, and released her. Galinda took Elphaba's arm and helped her limp toward the cafeteria.

"Why didn't they see us?"

"Invisibility charm. That's why we needed to stay still. If you move it wears off immediately." they reached the cafeteria doors and Galinda stopped, realizing that all Elphaba was wearing was a hospital gown.

"You do realize that you're only wearing a hospital gown, right?" Elphaba looked down at herself.

"I did not think this through."

"Know any charms that allow you to be invisible and in motion?" Elphaba thought for a moment, then she smiled, snapped her fingers and was gone, causing Galinda to shriek a little. She became visible again with a chuckle.

"Neat trick. You have got to teach me to do that. Anyway, let's go." Elphaba went invisible again and they entered the cafeteria, got their food and were almost out when Pfannee and Shenshen spotted Galinda.

"Oh Miss Galinda! Where could you possibly be going with all that food?" Galinda groaned quietly and whispered to Elphaba.

"Maybe you should get back to your room, this isn't going to be pretty." Elphaba set an invisible hand on her shoulder and whispered back.

"I'm used to it." At this point Pfannee and Shenshen reached them and looked expectantly at Galinda.

"If you must know I'm taking it to Elphaba." They pulled disgusted faces.

"She eats that much? Why are you the one taking her food? Isn't that the nurse's job?"

"Half of this food is mine, and I want to take her the food." Shenshen looked confused.

"But why? We know that you're stuck rooming with her but that doesn't mean you have to serve her, if anything, it means that she should be serving you."

"I'm not doing this because I pity her, I'm doing it because she's actually a nice person and she would never serve me, she has a higher rank than all of us." Like the idiots they were, they just stared at her for a minute.

"She doesn't have a title. She's just some weird green munchkinlander." Elphaba was tiring of this and she snapped her fingers again seeming to materialize right behind Galinda, causing the two air-heads adjacent to to her to shriek, she calmly took her food from Galinda.

"Actually, I'm Elphaba Thropp the Third Descending, next in line for the Eminency." And with that she walked out, Galinda next to her. When they reached the safety of Elphaba's room they burst out laughing. The blizzard was still going on outside when night fell so Elphaba offered to let Galinda take the bed and she would take the chair.

"Elphie! You are obviously no where near healthy enough to make that offer! It's only been two days!"

"Well, if you sleep in the chair it'll hurt your neck and back so you'll regret it in the morning!"

"S-so?" Galinda's breath was coming in silvery clouds of steam and she was shivering. Elphaba frowned at this and swung her legs over the edge of the bed and reached over toward Galinda. She was positively freezing.

"Alright, that settles it." Elphaba picked Galinda up and set her on the other side of the bed, got in next to her, blowing out the candle on the bedside table.

"El-Elphie?" Without a word she wrapped her arms around her freezing roommate and held her close.

"You're freezing Galinda. If you sleep in that chair tonight it's likely that you'll wake up completely frozen." She chuckled, her warm breath tickling Galinda's ear. "Besides, it's not like I'll do anything."

"A-and you're n-not cold?" Elphaba was incredibly warm against her and she wasn't stuttering just because of the cold.

"Strangely, no, and before you say it, I'm not sick, I feel fine." Galinda rolled over to face her battered friend. She kissed her on the cheek.

"Thank you." The blonde rested her forehead against Elphaba's collar bone and soon they both drifted off.

The next morning when Galinda woke up with Elphaba's arms still wrapped around her she sighed in contentment, then she noticed that Elphaba's lips had a layer of frost on them, on her eyelashes, on her hair and sparkling gently on her skin. In short, she looked beautiful. Before she could stop herself, she leaned in and gently kissed her friend. Her lips were still warm and unbelievably soft. When she realized what she was doing she pulled away and returned to her previous position, glad that she hadn't woken her up. Friends don't kiss, so what was that? She put a hand to her still tingling lips. _Wonderful Galinda, you are very lucky you didn't wake her up. You _just_ became friends! What are you thinking!?_ Elphaba stirred next to her and opened her eyes.

"Hey. Sleep well?"

"Yeah. You?"

"Mm." She nodded, then looked around. "Well, either we stay here and wait for the heating to come back or we go to the cafeteria in the hopes of warm food and beverages. Which one sounds best to you?" Galinda snuggled closer to Elphaba, eliciting a small chuckle.

"I would love to stay right here, but I would also love some hot cocoa, so I think that we should make a foray into the cafeteria for supplies and then come back and hole up in here for the day. Sound good?"

"Sounds great." Elphaba disentangled herself from Galinda and got out of bed first, the floor had a coating of ice and it was still snowing outside. "Careful, it's slick." Galinda rolled her eyes at this, thinking that her balance was more than satisfactory to deal with such a thin coating of ice, but she was wrong and slipped, falling right into Elphaba's arms. She looked down at the blonde with a smug smile before speaking. "Told you." Galinda swatted her arm and Elphaba helped her stand.

"Aren't your feet cold?"

"No. I know that they should be, but the cold doesn't really bother me." Galinda quirked a brow.

"Says the woman covered in frost." Elphaba just shrugged.

"Anyway, we should get going, before you spontaneously fall over again." Elphaba snickered and Galinda swatted her again. They left the room making rather quick progress. Elphaba slid around the ice like she was born to do it, gracefully navigating the icy surface despite her injured knee, pulling Galinda with her, keeping her upright. The cafeteria was always open and had plenty of hot beverages and soups for the students so Galinda and Elphaba stocked up, heading back to Elphaba's room just as quickly as they left. Elphaba closed the door behind them and they jumped back into the bed together, food on the table next to the bed and snuggled tightly together for warmth.

"You know, you still have frost on you."

"Maybe it's the physical manifestation of my icy personality." She chuckled at this but Galinda just frowned, and rolled on top of her, Elphaba unconsciously lacing her fingers together behind the blonde's tiny waist.

"You're not icy. If anything you're warm. People don't see you as you just because you're green, but if they actually took the time to know you, they'd find you're warm, like a sun, or one of those super nova thingies you were talking about a few days ago. You're really sweet. If I were a guy, I would fall for you in a heart beat." Elphaba just smiled.

"Thank you, but I believe if you were a guy you'd still be repulsed by my skin tone and we wouldn't share a room and therefore would not be friends." Galinda lowered herself from her propped up position and hugged Elphaba, her cheek resting on her bony shoulder.

"I don't think that's true. Even if I were a guy we'd still see each other during class and would become friends during our classes, and then I would definitely fall for you, and I'd probably fall really hard." She looked up at her frosted friend. "You really are beautiful Elphie. It's hard for me to see you bash yourself and when you do, I just want to hug you like this and tell you that none of what you say is true, and it makes me furious to think that someone made you think these things about yourself, and I want to find that person and hurt them like they hurt you." Elphaba kissed the top of the little blonde's head.

"I don't think you even want to meet the person you're talking about, much less try and hurt them. But it's good to know that you care, so I'll try to avoid 'bashing' myself when you're around." Galinda heard someone coming and in the blink of an eye was in her chair again Elphaba heard it too and gave her a blanket to make it look like she had been there the whole time. The doctor that treated her entered the room a few seconds later.

"Good morning Miss Elphaba, Miss Galinda, I apologize that I wasn't in to check up on you yesterday. Anyway, let's get down to business. I'm Dr. Harold Sputnik and I'll be your physician for your years here at Shiz. Miss Elphaba, I need to know if you've been experiencing any pain?" Dr. Sputnik pulled out a clipboard and pencil, ready for the answer.

"Not really, I mean sure it hurts a bit, but it's not that bad, easily bearable, no pills required."

"And has this happened to you before?"

"This exactly? No. People have beat me up, but I'm _green_, what do you expect?"

"Miss Elphaba, your body shows signs of being beaten before, care to explain?" Her eyes hardened at this, her guard was firmly in place on this one.

"No." He gave her a look but kept going.

"Headaches?"

"No."

"Anything not working?"

"No, I'm fully functioning."

"Medication?"

"I don't take any."

"Allergies?"

"You have my file, you know the answer to that." He nodded.

"Do you know who did this?"

"No. All I know is that it was a group of drunken boys from Three Queens."

"There was evidence of attempted rape...?"

"Emphasis on _'attempted' _believe me, I'm fine." He nodded again.

"Alright, you should be free to go back to your dorm room in three or four days, I'll come and check up on you if I can, but as you might have guessed, this blizzard is bringing in frost bitten and sick students by the dozens, so I will be quite busy. If you need anything just ask a nurse to get it for you, we don't need more traumatized ladies being brought in asking if you were dead. Although that was hilarious, you really shouldn't do that to people." She chuckled and nodded, he smiled back and left. Galinda quickly resettled herself next to Elphaba, taking one of her hands in her own and rubbing small circles in the back of it.

"You didn't tell me that they tried to..."

"There wasn't a need to. They weren't successful and telling you would only ruffle you up more." She frowned down at the verdant hand.

"So? I still want to know about these things, like I said, you aren't alone anymore."

"I know. But I have... trust issues, and it will take me a while to be able to share things automatically. So can you bear with me until that happens?" Galinda looked up at Elphaba and nodded.

"Of course."

Over the next few days, while the snow melted to a degree the two girls shared a bed, Galinda always waking up a bit before Elphaba and kissing her against her better judgement and on the last morning she slept in and discovered Elphaba doing push-ups on the still icy floor. Her back muscles stood out under her gown and her upper arms were straining, she was whispering quietly.

"293, 294, 295, 296, 297, 298, 299, 300, 3-"

"Elphie! What are you doing!? You're gonna pull your stitches!" Galinda pulled Elphaba to her feet and made her sit down.

"I'm a little scratched up, not invalid. If I sit around like this all the time I'll get fat." Galinda gave her a dubious look.

"Elphie, it would take a lot to make you fat, you're so under weight that it's beyond unhealthy. Also I thought you didn't care about your figure?"

"I don't. But I do care about my physical capability, and anyway I get discharged today, so it's not like a couple of stitches will bother me." The snow outside at this point was only about a foot deep and the walkways had been cleared so it was safe for Elphaba to go back to their dorm. Dr. Sputnik entered with Elphaba's nightgown slung over one arm. Elphaba took the garment and the doctor left.

"Would you mind, um, turning around?" Galinda blushed and obliged. Elphaba quickly changed, her back to Galinda. The nightgown had been washed, but the gown now possessed an unfortunate crimson tinge. Elphaba dropped the hospital gown onto the bed and tapped Galinda's shoulder.

"We can go now." Galinda smiled and offered her arm. Elphaba returned the smile and took the proffered limb. She didn't say anything but it disturbed Galinda that the gown now carried the overall stain of Elphaba's blood. The two walked out of the room and headed toward their dorm, but were quickly intercepted by Fiyero, Boq and Averic, who were on their way to the cafeteria for breakfast.

"Hey Green Bean! Should you be up and about this soon?" Averic threw an arm around her shoulders, and Galinda noticed the slight flinch that had become apparent to her over the past few days when physical contact came into play. Fiyero went around to her other side and threw another arm around her.

"You know, I carried you half way to the infirmary, care for a drink later?"

"Fiyero!" Elphaba ducked out from between them and moved to stand near an outraged Galinda and close to the dorms should she have to make a break for it.

"Master Fiyero, as far as I'm aware you're still dating Galinda so that's not exactly proper."

"Well, how about I take you out for that drink? I am perfectly available." Averic wiggled his eyebrows suggestively as he said this. Elphaba gave him a thorny smile.

"Master Averic. I would not go out for a drink with you if you were the last man in Oz." She poked a finger into his chest without breaking eye contact. "You sir, are enough to turn a perfectly straight woman." And without she turned on her heel and left Averic to the humiliation of being turned down by the most hated girl at Shiz. Galinda opened the door to their dorm and Elphaba made a beeline for the bathroom.

"I'm going to clean up a bit." She closed the door behind her and stripped quickly, using the bottles of oil on the shelves to clean herself and aid the healing of her injuries. She came out wrapped in a towel and walked around Galinda's bed to her wardrobe, taking a pair of blue denim pants that were bordering on black, a white button down shirt, a black sleeveless U-neck top and a studded belt before heading back into the bathroom. Galinda stared after her. A woman wearing pants? Unheard of. Galinda turned her head back to the open wardrobe across the room and discovered that it contained only one black dress, two pairs of pants similar to the pair Elphaba had picked, on top of the two pairs of pants were shirts, one neat, ironed, button down shirt on either pile and a pair of sneakers. When Elphaba came out of the bathroom her hair was down and she picked up the sneakers along with a pair of ankle-less socks.

"Elphie, what are you doing?"

"Getting ready to go to work."

"Is that where you always are on Saturday?"

"Yeah."

"What do you do?" Elphaba got up off her bed, took her cloak from where it hung on the rack next to the door, then turned to smile at Galinda as she put on the cloak.

"I do several things, but that's for me to know and you to never find out." She put the hood up on her cloak and headed out the door. Galinda stared after her for a second, pouted, and then headed after her. When Elphaba got out of Crage Hall she left off toward the kitchen garden. She made a running start toward a bench, and sprung up and over the wall, landing perfectly on the other side with a flip. Galinda went through the garden gate and had to run to keep her friend in sight. First she went to a shop and came out with a slip of paper and a burlap satchel slung over her shoulder she darted across the market and through some backstreets to a magic shop, when she came out the satchel was empty and Galinda could hear coins jingling in it, she sprinted back to the other shop and as near as Galinda could tell spent the rest of the day delivering items. At the end of the regular workday, about 5:00 PM, she headed toward a seedier part of town, going into a warehouse next to the tracks on the outskirts of the town. She entered unchallenged and Galinda snuck in through a window at the back. There was a bar against one wall, opposite a stage, complete with an old microphone on a stand and multiple lights overhead, a loft-like area made up the second floor of the building, a catwalk stretching across the middle of the room. Elphaba headed toward a hallway at the back of the warehouse next to the stage, Galinda followed her very discreetly to a room in the back where a Wolf was waiting. Elphaba smiled and they talked a little, he handed her a list and she read through it, then she hung up her cloak and took off the white button down, leaving her in the strappy black shirt she shook out her hair, her bangs falling across her face, covering half of it, she then took three little rings from a black box hidden behind a loose brick in the wall and put them in piercings that Galinda hadn't noticed before at the top of her left ear. Then she moved to another segment of the wall, dismantled it and pulled out a guitar. She slung the leather strap over her shoulder so the instrument rested against her back. She looked around for a minute before extracting another black box from the wall, a different place than the first. She pulled out a lip ring and put it into yet another unseen piercing on her bottom lip. Then she pulled out a necklace, a simple nickel medallion on a leather thong with a carving of the sun set in copper on one side and a moon etched in the other. She slipped it around her neck, closed the box, and put it away like the others. Then she left the room and headed over to the bar. She talked with a girl at the bar, she was very young and skinny like Elphaba, she shied away when ever people approached but with Elphaba she ran forward and hugged her with a cry of "Alpha!" Elphaba spoke to her quietly kneeling down so she could look her in the eye. She produced a bag of coins from her back pocket and handed it off to the little girl, Cora. Cora ran up to the loft area where she met with a little boy a few years younger than her and there was some excited chatter about food money and then she gave him the coins to hide away and Elphaba walked back over to the stage where the Wolf was talking with a couple boys and a Tigress. Elphaba was greeted warmly by the small group and helped the boys, a pair of Gilikinese twins lug out a drum set and helped the Tigress set up a new electric piano and she plugged her guitar into an amp. The Wolf looked to a Bull by the door in a tight black T-shirt. He nodded and the Wolf turned back to Elphaba.

"Show time Alpha!" She nodded and continued to tune the guitar as people rushed in. The Wolf had closed a curtain over the stage so Galinda couldn't see her. The Wolf took the mic and looked at the assembled crowd of Animals and humans.

"Alright! As promised for every Saturday night, we have brought to you, your favorite musician, Alpha!" The curtain was parted, Elphaba waved at the crowd, and they went wild. The Wolf bowed and indicated the mic. She rolled her eyes and walked forward.

"Alright, how is everyone tonight?" There was a mostly pleased roar from the crowd. "Okay, okay, so what are you folks in the mood for?" The crowd converged on a single spot and talked for a few moments. Then a man stepped forward.

"Surprise us!" She smiled at them.

"Promise to tell me if you don't like the stuff I'm playing?" There was a general roar of assent. She nodded said something to the other players and turned back to the mic.

"People Like Us?" Another roar of assent. She nodded again and the other players struck up.

"_We come into this world unknown, _

_B__ut know that we are not alone,_

_T__hey try to knock us down,_

_B__ut change is coming, it's our time now."_

Her voice was mesmerizing and beautiful.

"_Hey... everybody loses it_

_everyone wants to throw it away sometimes,_

_And hey... I know what you're going through,_

_don't let it get the best of you, you'll make it out alive._

_Ohh!"_

Thetempo really started to pick up at this point and carried throughout the rest of the song.

"_People like us we've gotta stick togethe__r_

_K__eep your head up nothing lasts forever_

_H__ere's to the damned to the lost and forgotten,_

_I__t's hard to get high when you're living on the bottom!_

_Oh woah oh oh woah oh_

_We are all misfits living in a world on fire_

_O__h woah oh oh woah oh_

_S__ing it for the people like us, the people like us!_

_Hey, this is not a funeral_

_I__t's a revolution after all your tears have turned to rage_

_J__ust wait everything will be okay_

_E__ven when you feeling like it's going down in flames_

_O__hh_

_People like us we've gotta stick together,_

_K__eep your head up nothing lasts forever_

_H__ere's to the damned to the lost and forgotten,_

_I__t's hard to get high when you're living on the bottom!_

_Oh woah oh oh woah oh_

_We are all misfits living in a world on fire_

_O__h woah oh oh woah oh_

_S__ing it for the people like us, the people like us!_

_Oh woah oh oh woah oh_

_Y__ou've just gotta turn it up loud when the flames get higher_

_Oh woah oh oh woah oh_

_Sing it for the people like us, the people like us_

_They can't do nothing to you they can't do nothin' to me_

_This is the life that we choose, this is the life the we bleed_

_So throw your fists in the air, come out, come out if you dare_

_Tonight we're gonna change forever_

_Everybody looses it, everybody wants to throw it all away sometimes_

_Ohh_

_People like us gotta stick together_

_Keep your head up nothing lasts forever_

_Here's to the damned to the lost and forgotten_

_It's hard to get high when you're living on the bottom_

_Oh woah oh oh woah oh_

_We're all misfits living in a world on fire_

_Oh woah oh oh woah oh_

_Sing it for the people like us, the people like us_

_Oh woah oh oh woah oh_

_You've just got to turn it up loud when the flames get higher_

_Oh woah oh oh woah oh_

_Sing it for the people like us, the people like us!_

_Oh woah oh oh woah oh_

_We're all misfits living in the world on fire_

_Oh woah oh oh woah oh_

_Sing it for the people like us, the people like us_

_Oh woah oh oh woah oh_

_You've just got to turn it up loud when the flames get higher_

_Oh woah oh oh woah oh_

_Sing it for the people like us, the people like us!"_

The crowd has gone wild at this point and Galinda could see why, the song was beautiful and she sang it very well, her fingers were nimble on the guitar strings. The night went on and Elphaba sang and played the entire time not even taking a break to get a drink, then at 8:00 PM the Wolf came back onto the stage and the crowd groaned at the fact that Elphaba was leaving. She waved at them as she left and a woman threw her a bottle of cider from the bar, she caught the bottle with ease, pulled the cork out with her teeth and spat it into a garbage can, Galinda went to go tell her how amazing she had been, but was stopped by an incredible swell of people swarming forward and being bounced back by some guards. A totally smashed guy laid a heavy hand on her shoulder.

"Hey pretty girl, wanna have some fun?" She tried to shrug his hand off and he started dragging her to the back of the club. A meaty hand covered her mouth and the other started to rip at the buttons on the back of her dress, ripping down a couple of them, the hand over her mouth was replaced by a rough pair of lips and the now free hand was roughly pushing her skirt up, in spite of her best attempts to push him away. Suddenly he was yanked off of her and thrown to the floor, Elphaba now standing in front of her.

"Steve, you know you shouldn't drink." She closed the distance between them, shedding the cloak, and gently placed it around her shoulders, she held her close in a hug for a second before leaning down and placing a kiss on the top of her head. "Come on, we should get home." Elphaba left one arm around the petite blonde and walked out of the club without interference.

"You have an amazing voice." Elphaba looked down at the slightly shaken blonde.

"Thank you. So you did follow me all day, and I'm not crazy." The blonde blushed.

"You knew?"

"Yeah. I knew. I saw you at the cafe by my day job. I didn't think that you'd follow me to my night job." Galinda fiddled with the edge of the open button down that Elphaba was wearing.

"Are you mad?"

"No. You were curious and you followed the logical path to find out what you wanted to know when I wouldn't tell you. I'm proud of you for having the wits to follow me right off the bat."

"Curfew's in effect, how are we going to get back in?"

"Just trust me, I can get us in without a hitch." Elphaba stopped for a second, her head snapping up from her blonde friend, then she quickened their pace.

"Elphie?"

"Stay close." She rounded a corner and they flattened themselves against a wall, a minute later a rush of Wraiths went out into the boulevard and pulled a U-turn, turning into one giant Wraith as they rushed toward the two. Elphaba pulled Galinda to stand behind her and put her hands together as if to draw back a bow, wisps of light forming the aforementioned weapon, and an arrow shaped like a lightning bolt formed on it, the Wraith opened its' mouth in preparation. Elphaba loosed the arrow and it flew straight through the shadows of it's body and buried itself in a red globe at its' center. The Wraith froze in mid-air and turned to sand. Elphaba turned around to look at her slightly stunned friend. "Now then, shall we?" She proffered an arm, Galinda gave her a small smile and took it. They walked for a while, heading back to the wall that Elphaba had gone over earlier that same day. When they got there Elphaba picked Galinda up in her arms, got a running start, and this time used a rather large rock as her launch point vaulting them over the wall and with a twist landing smoothly on her feet. She set Galinda down on the path next to her

"Pink goes good with green, don't you think?"

"Yes, it does." Elphaba cleared her throat. "Um, anyway, we should get back to our dorm before the guards come out from wherever they hide during the day." Galinda nodded and they began to head back to their dorm. They reached the tree by their window and Elphaba climbed it, pulling Galinda up after her. They reached the branch nearest their window and Elphaba leaned over to open it, wincing slightly as she did so. Elphaba placed her feet on the sill and gripped the frame with one hand while extending the other to Galinda. Seeing Galinda's hesitation, she gave her a gentle reassuring smile.

"It's alright, I won't let you fall, all you have to do is jump, I've got you." Galinda smiled back at her, placing her hand in Elphaba's again. The blonde gathered herself, jumping through the window with Elphaba, enjoying the feeling of the strong green arms around her waist as Elphaba caught her, landing with her back on the floor and Galinda on top of her. The breath pressed from her lungs in a gentle puff, coming back seconds later.

"See? I told you, I've got you."

"That you have!" They giggled, their noses brushing. Once they managed to stop giggling, they became aware of exactly how close they were, the fire of each other's bodies as they were pressed together. A blush rising in both of their cheeks as they felt the other woman's breath on their cheeks and lips. A knock at the door mercifully disturbed their tense moment.

"Miss Galinda? Miss Elphaba? Is everything alright?" Galinda sprung off of Elphaba and went to the door, Elphaba dashed to the bathroom and had just closed the door when Galinda opened the main one.

"Oh no, we're fine, Miss Elphaba just rolled out of her bed for some strange reason, she's in the bathroom right now checking to see if she hurt herself. Thank you for your concern, fresh dreams Miss." The girl departed and Galinda closed the door walking to the bathroom and giggling when she saw Elphaba leaning against the frame of the door with a smile on her face.

"Well we cut that a bit close didn't we my sweet?" The nickname sent a pleasant shiver down her spine as she got closer.

"That we did." Galinda closed the distance between them to wrap Elphaba in a hug. "Thank you for a wonderful evening Miss Elphaba."

"Anytime Miss Galinda. I would gladly have taken you on a longer outing but it is indeed late, and we are indeed mortal, therefore we need our sleep." Galinda giggled.

"Goodnight Elphie."

"Fresh dreams my sweet." Elphaba pressed her lips to Galinda's forehead and they held each other for a minute before a cold breeze blew through the window, making both of them shudder, goosebumps rising on their skin Elphaba laughed and gently extricated herself from Galinda's arms and going to close the window.

"You should change, I very much doubt that you want to go to sleep in that dress, it's quite beautiful on you." Galinda blushed and swiped a nightgown from her dresser before heading to the bathroom. When she came out, she caught a last glimpse of Elphaba's legs disappearing under her vastly stained nightgown. Galinda yawned and crawled beneath her pink comforter.

"You know, we really have to get you a new nightgown. That one is positively shot." Elphaba grimaced down at her nightgown before climbing into her bed and beneath her threadbare blanket.

"I concur, but what's this we business? I'll save some pocket change and go by another on my own, you don't actually need to help." Elphaba shivered very slightly and curled in on herself a bit.

"If I don't go with you it will never get done. Oh get over here would you?! You look like you're gonna freeze to death." Elphaba grumbled some sort of protest underneath her her breath and Galinda sat up.

"Elphaba get your green ass over here, I will not be carting you to the infirmary for a second time because of frost bite!" Elphaba hesitated until Galinda gave her a death glare.

"Okay! Okay, you win, stop burning holes in me with that _terrifying_ death glare of yours." Galinda smiled and scooted over laying back down as she opened the covers for her friend. Elphaba slid in beside her and turned over to face her.

"Goodnight, my sweet."

"Goodnight Elphie."

"Haven't we been here before?" Galinda lightly smacked her on the arm.

"Oh go to sleep you." Elphaba chuckled but acquiesced, closing her eyes. Galinda stared at her for a time until she too fell asleep.

**Okay, so the song was People Like Us by Kelly Clarkson and it is a personal favorite of mine, I just felt like it fit here, so you know.**


	3. Chapter 3

A week later, the snow had melted and even though it was chilly out, spring was in full swing and Elphaba woke before Galinda as usual, staring at her sleeping roomie for a time before rousing herself. By the time she was ready to go and get breakfast Galinda had woken up and insisted upon going with her. As they were on their way to the cafeteria, Pfannee and Shenshen noticed Galinda and proceeded to drag her off with them, leaving Elphaba to chuckle at her unladylike departure, once again being intercepted by Fiyero and Averic.

"You know, that brush off you gave me hurt."

"Good." Averic grabbed her arm hard enough for bruises to start forming.

"Hey, that was very rude. I think you should apologize." She grabbed his wrist and pressed hard at a certain point, causing him to twist and fall to the ground in pain. When she spoke next, her voice was venomous.

"I'm sorry to have offended you Master Averic, but for your own safety I suggest that you _never touch me again_." She released him and walked into the cafeteria, picking up some food to go and heading back to her room. In her wake, Fiyero helped Averic off the ground.

"Wow, what a woman! You told she was a fighter, but to put you on your knees with just a touch!" Averic glared after her. Meanwhile, in a cafe a little ways outside of campus, Galinda felt about ready to make a break for it.

"So you knew she was with you the entire time in the cafeteria?" Galinda tossed her hair and smiled, waving the stirring stick intended for her white coffee for emphasis.

"_Of course_, sillies, I was getting her food and spending that time with her out of pity! I would have said so, but I was terrified what she would do if she knew, become _even more_ unbearable and withdrawn?" They giggled at this. "Besides, it's kind of fun watching her flinch away from human contact." The two girls across from her ceased their giggling and stared at her.

"How would _you_ know she flinches from contact?"

"Oh, during that horrible blizzard I was stuck with her. There weren't many nurses so I was also stuck taking care of her, but she wouldn't let me. She was up and out the door, skating through the frozen halls like she owned them, getting us some food. When we got back, she went to get back into bed even though she didn't ask me to, I helped her. Which is when I noticed that she flinches away from contact, and when I thought about it, I realized that she never really touches people and is never touched by them, even Nessarose, her own_ sister, _won't touch her. It's a little sad really." Shenshen reached over the table, covering Galinda's hand with her own.

"Oh it's so sweet of you to care about that string bean. But really, you shouldn't bother with her." Galinda sighed.

"I know, but that's what makes me so nice." Pfannee tee-heed across the table.

"Besides, this way you can divulge any interesting tidbits to us. Oh it'll be a wonderful game." Galinda groaned inwardly.

"So are you going to ask Fiyero to the Ozdust next Saturday?" She plastered on a fake flirtatious smile.

"Of course! Who else would I ask? Averic? Puh-lease, even the Artichoke won't take him." Her companions across the table looked scandalized, and they said as much.

"That's positively scandalatious! Details, details!" She smiled and told them about what had transpired yesterday, with a few embellishments, of course.

"... she said 'You sir, are enough to turn a perfectly straight woman.' and with that she turned and left." Pfannee and Shenshen cracked up and began laughing uncontrollably. When they stopped Shenshen put on a poker face.

"What if the reason she turned him down was because she doesn't lean that way? It would kind of make sense. I doubt a boy has so much as touched her in her life time. Women are probably the only ones that show her sympathy, I mean, I've seen her talk to Fiyero, Boq, Crope and Tibbett, but they never touch her, not in a caring way, more like rough housing, and Averic has grabbed her arm a few times, he's almost hostile toward her." Galinda frowned.

"It's true. I've seen him staring at her in class with a look I can't quite read. It's possible that he either wants something from her or that he wants her. I mean, it's hard to imagine them together, but then again I'm probably wrong."

"I don't think so. Averic stopped by a couple times while she was in the hospital, he always asked me to leave the room and when I came back in he was usually be storming out and Elphaba would be... I don't know different. More... aloof. It would never last and disappeared after a few minutes, but maybe... maybe they would argue, the last time I could hear shouting." The girls were quiet for a few minutes, thinking about this new information.

"Ask her. I mean, looking at it from her point of view, we can't do any damage to her with the information that she's been fighting with Averic, so why not tell you? We wanna know and we don't really like Averic either. We all agree he's a sleaze, and besides, it'd be kind of fun to see how he responds." Galinda looked at the clock tower through the window.

"I have a magic seminar with Madame Morrible in a couple hours, I can ask her then." They nodded at this, they sipped their coffees and made their usual shallow small talk, all the while Galinda was worried about her roommate, and after she had finished her coffee she excused herself and headed back to their dorm. When she arrived, Elphaba was jack-knifed into a corner in her nightgown, which was odd because it was about ten in the morning and she'd been to about six classes, and was currently reading a book about the physics of flight. Elphaba looked up and gave a short hello, shifting a little. Galinda frowned, remembering her discussion with Pfannee and Shenshen. She flounced over to Elphaba's bed and plopped down, startling her.

"Elphie?"

"Hm?" She was looking back down at her book again.

"Have you been fighting with Averic?" Elphaba dropped her book and stared at Galinda, her jaw slightly dropped, but she recovered quickly, pushing her glasses up her nose, slightly flustered.

"Why in Oz would I be fighting with Master Averic?! I barely know him!" Galinda quirked a brow at her.

"Then why was he waiting with us while you were in surgery? Why were you comfortable with telling us about the Wraiths while he was in the room?"

"I have no idea why he waited with you guys and I only spoke while he was in the room because he seemed benign." Galinda scooted closer, fiddling with the rough, threadbare bed spread.

"Maybe... Maybe he likes you." Elphaba burst out laughing as soon as the words left Galinda's mouth, to the extent that she ended up prostrated on the bed, nearly crying with mirth. Finally, her laughter died down and she lay on her back, arms crossed over her stomach and her glasses askew.

"Now why would he like me? I'm GREEN, Galinda, no one, especially someone like Averic, is capable of liking me, some people are capable of tolerating my presence, but the idea of someone LIKING me is just far to much." Galinda jumped on top of her, grabbing her arms and pinning her.

"STOP TALKING LIKE THAT! Elphie, _I _like you. You're a very likeable person. But you really have to stop being so negative! Honestly, it's like you have a complex about your skin... Elphie?" Her jaw was clenched and her body was slightly tensed.

"It's not just my skin that's the problem, it's what's on it. Look, it doesn't matter, besides, we have just over half an hour left until Madame Morrible's seminar and I know that you need every second of that time." She sighed, looking to the side. Galinda, realizing exactly how hard she was holding her and exactly what position they were in scrambled off of her, blushing profusely, and scurried into the bathroom. _What did she mean 'It's not just my skin, it's what's on it.' what is she hiding? _Meanwhile, on the other side of the door Elphaba was changing into her clothes for her messenger job, which she would have to head off to almost immediately after the seminar, having similar thoughts. _Why did I say that? Now she's going to pry, and it would be best for both of us if she didn't. _She sighed and laced up the black leather boots that she wore everyday except for Saturdays. Galinda came out of the bathroom and stopped.

"Elphie, I thought you only dressed like that on Saturdays."

"Oh, well, my dress had a rather unfortunate... accident, during class earlier today, and besides, it's Wednesday, which means it's still a workday for me." Galinda frowned and began walking to the closet, only to be stopped by Elphaba. "Galinda, it doesn't really matter, it's just a dress."

"Now I'm curious." Galinda slipped out of her grip and opened the closet. Inside there was a heap of black rags. She picked one up and examined it. The cloth had burns on a few edges and speckled throughout the oddly shaped bit of cloth, the rest of the edges were obviously cut. Behind her, Elphaba was tip-toeing toward the door, satchel of books slung over her shoulder, and was almost there when she felt a small hand encircle her forearm.

"Elphieee..." Elphaba cringed inwardly, that tone meant that things were about to get interesting.

"W-we need to get going, we have ten minutes until the start of the seminar, and the auditorium's all the way across campus." She continued toward the door, Galinda tightened her grip and looped her other arm around Elphaba's waist

"Elphaba, come here." Her tone was sweet, which meant she was definitely planning something. She began to pull Elphaba closer to her. When she felt a small hand tug at her shirt hem, her pulse practically tripled and she knew she had to get away. Panicking, she slipped out of her grasp, running out the door toward the auditorium.

"I really don't want to talk about it!" Galinda set off after her, right on her heels.

"Elphaba! What happened!? Just tell me!"

"Only if you can catch me before I get to the auditorium!" Elphaba vaulted over the banister of the landing by the spiral staircase, tucking into a roll to dissipate the momentum of her fall. Galinda smirked and slid down the banister herself, leaping off of the end and using her momentum to help her gain on her lean quarry. They ran through the grass and Galinda reached out her hand, the edge of Elphaba's shirt was nearly within reach. Elphaba knew that Galinda almost had her, in response she whirled, sprinting between two nearby trees and springing off a rock, flipping herself over Galinda and skidding to a stop inside the auditorium hallway, her cheeks flushed from the run. Galinda, unfortunately, did not possess the same athletic grace that seemed to come to Elphaba naturally, was having trouble stopping, sliding across the slick grass and nearly careening into a pillar, saved only by a pair of thick, blue diamond covered arms. Fiyero chuckled deeply and pulled her back against his body.

"Galinda, why on earth would you be chasing Miss Elphaba across the school grounds to her next class?" His breath was uncomfortably hot against her ear, but she put on a smile and turned to face him, accepting the greeting kiss and returning the embrace. "And what is she wearing?"

"Oh, well, Elphaba only owns one dress and it's been destroyed, I was chasing her because she wouldn't tell me why unless I managed to catch her before we reached the auditorium, I almost had her but-"

"Then she pulled that snazzy move and beat you to it." She smiled sheepishly and nodded.

"But what are you doing here Yero?" He laughed and pulled something out of his pocket, it was a small ruby heart on a golden chain, inset into it were a pink G and a gold F intertwined.

"I just came to give you this."

"Oh Yero, it's positively beautiful. Help me put it on!" She turned around and held up her hair so he could do the clasp. Elphaba felt a strange twinge in her stomach and turned away from the display to walk into the auditorium, taking a seat in the front row, crossing her legs she, pulled began to pull out her text book and journal when Morrible walked in.

"Oh, you won't be needing those my dear, today we are going up to the tower to practice spells. Is Miss Galinda in attendance as well? I saw her chasing you across the grounds, excellent move by the way, that thing you did with the trees when she was about to catch you, and what are you wearing?" Elphaba explained that her only dress had fallen afoul of some bad luck and the resulting challenge to Galinda.

"So you actually work? My dear, that's unnecessary, I mean, you could have any scholarship from Shiz, you're the brightest girl here."

"Madame, it's not about school fees, those scholarships should be left for those who need them. I'm working for pocket money, for when things like this happen."

"But surely your family would lend you the money to replace it." Elphaba just shook her head.

"I can repair the dress on my own, and I don't want to trouble them." Morrible patted her shoulder.

"You're a good girl Elphaba. Anyway, class is about to start." Elphaba nodded and looked around, spotting Galinda a few chairs away. Morrible walked to the podium and Elphaba slung her satchel over her shoulder.

"Today we are heading up to the tower to practice our spells, mainly the kind dangerous to the student populous. So, if you would please follow me." The class followed behind her, single file, up the winding staircase at the back of the auditorium that led to the tower. Once they reached the top they found that a station had been set up, they were to be working in pairs.

"Now, this exercise has two purposes. The first is, of course, the learning of new spells and the betterment of your sorcery skills. The second, is similar to an exam. Today I will be assessing your development, and if you belong in this class. Some of you, although at this point the number will be relatively small, will be removed from the class. Anyway, today we are working on spells for combat. Each station is a dueling ground. You will be fighting as a team. If you cannot work together then you will receive no points for todays class and you will probably be fairly battered by the time this period is over. Well, partner up and get to a station." Galinda made an attempt at reaching Elphaba's side, but was intercepted by a young man. She looked at Elphaba over his shoulder and frowned. Elphaba nodded and made a shooing motion with her hand. Galinda nodded back, smiled at the young gentleman and walked off with him. A young woman partnered with Elphaba, her name was Johanna. She had hair that looked like fire, her bangs covered half her face and it was short and spiky in the back, her eyes were a strange teal color, she was about the same height as Galinda, but her curves were less pronounced and she was actually thinner. She was wearing a low-cut, tight black dress. The first duo they faced was a pair of simpletons and they dispatched them fairly quickly. While they waited for everyone else to finish Johanna started to flirt with Elphaba. She tried a lot of things, seductively biting an apple while looking at her, casually finding ways to press her ample cleavage against her arm, every trick in the book that she could think of that could possibly work, but the whole time, Elphaba barely even noticed, her focus was entirely on Galinda. The blonde was holding her ground against a particularly troublesome munchkin and a rather silly looking boy that was too busy staring at Galinda to defend against spells. Galinda's partner was in much the same state, leaving only Galinda and the munchkin to duke it out, but Galinda was slowly losing, and she knew it. Elphaba frowned, mouthed an incantation and made a slight hand motion, causing the munchkin to loose concentration and allowing Galinda to knock him down with a spell. Galinda looked to Elphaba and raised an eyebrow. Elphaba shrugged back at her and she narrowed her eyes. _Right, suuurrree ya didn't. _

_I have no idea what you're talking about._

_Oh?_

_Well, maybe I helped a little._

_Yeah, whatever, but I think you should pay a little more attention to the gal next to you, she's really after you. _Elphaba had to resist the urge to look down as Johanna got a little closer, pressing her breasts even harder against her arm.

_I'm afraid she'll molest me if I even look at her. Unnamed God I hope she doesn't try a love spell on me during the next duel. _Galinda giggled a little.

_Well, for your sake I hope not. Good luck, Elphie._

_Thanks Galinda. Same to you._ Elphaba shook her head and chuckled. She couldn't believe that she had just had an entire conversation with Galinda with their eyes only.

"What's so funny, Elphaba?" Elphaba mentally cringed, Johanna had her entire body pressed tightly against Elphaba.

"You do know I'm a girl, right?" She looked down at Johanna and quirked a brow.

"So you have been noticing. Is it that I'm a girl as well, or" She leaned closer 'til her mouth was centimeters from her ear, her hot breath washing over her ear and making her blush. "is there something that you want?" Johanna's leg shifted a bit against her own in a suggestive way and she was rigid as a board. Mercifully, the last duel finished up right about then. Johanna pouted and Elphaba couldn't get up fast enough. She sighed with relief as she headed to face their newest opponents. This time it was a pair of bullies, Jack and Katt. Elphaba stood inside her half of the circle, next to Johanna.

"Well green bean, think you can handle us?" Katt was sneering at her and Jack was ogling Johanna. She flicked her wrist and knocked them both on their asses.

"Oh please, this is child's play." Their faces twisted into snarls. Katt flung a fireball at her and she turned it back on her easily. She countered with a shield and Jack cast a spell that summoned a volley of arrows. Elphaba flicked her wrist and the arrows turned to vipers, with a dismissive wave the vipers turned and slithered across the floor to attack Jack and Katt. Katt turned the vipers to butterflies and wind spell blew the leather tie out of her hair and her over shirt was caught on fire by a spell that Johanna cast. The red head pouted a little and then bit her lip when she just shed the over shirt. Her black under shirt clung to her body tightly showing off a slightly defined six pack through the fabric. The room seemed to fall silent. Across the room Galinda was staring at her. Her skin shone in the sunlight with a thin sheen of sweat, light, silvery scars that Galinda hadn't noticed before flashed a little in the light and Galinda always liked it better when her hair was down, but that shirt. It clung to her body in all the right places, showing that she did have curves, and revealing the fact that she did indeed have breasts, perky ones at that, but it also clung tightly enough to her body that it also displayed her ribs, which showed through the skin despite the layer of muscle over them, along with her sharp hip bones and equally sharp shoulder blades. In short, the sight was both tragic and breath taking. Elphaba bound both Katt and Jack to the floor with a gravity spell, noticing the staring, she looked around and shrugged.

"What?" Everyone seemed to shake themselves and go back to their duels, a dull roar of murmuring rising up to fill the silence that had dominated the room before she spoke. Johanna was still staring at her when she went and sat on the floor by a window, looking out across campus toward the lake. Galinda's match finished up shortly thereafter and she made her way over toward Elphaba, who looked like she was about ready to bolt away from an infatuated red head. Elphaba heard her approach and turned her head to look at Galinda, relief visible in her eyes, but that quickly turned to caution at the predatory smile on her face.

"Why Miss Elphaba, it appears you have an admirer." Elphaba glared at her.

"And where is your usual flock? Powdering their noses in the ladies room several floors down?" Galinda appeared to be offended, but Elphaba saw that she recognized the challenge.

"No. They were too shocked by the fact that you were wearing pants, you know, you still haven't told me what happened to that dress of yours." Johanna shifted against Elphaba slowly pressing herself closer, as if daring Galinda to get closer, which she did. She sat down on Elphaba's other side and took her arm, receiving a death glare from Johanna. She smiled back at her and looked up at Elphaba, who was eyeing Johanna nervously. Galinda nudged her slightly with her elbow getting her to look down at her.

"You failed my challenge to catch me before I made it to the auditorium. Therefore I will not tell you until you beat that challenge. By the way, the same challenge applies on the way back to the dorms, if you can catch me I'll tell you." She scooted a little closer, causing Johanna to press herself closer as well.

"Well, it looks like I've caught you." Elphaba chuckled at this.

"Yes, but the challenge is not in effect during class." Their hips were touching, as well as their legs and at this point Galinda's breasts were touching Elphaba's arm.

"Awww, c'mon Elphie, it can't be that bad." Elphaba eyed her dubiously.

"Galinda, I know what you're trying to do and I wouldn't put it past you to strip me if I told you." The predatory gleam was back in Galinda's eye.

"So if I strip you, then I'll find something?" She moved one hand to skate down a rib to the hem of her shirt. A green hand encircled Galinda's wrist in an iron like grip.

"Galinda. Please, don't. Especially not here." Elphaba's eyes were hard, regret, sadness, and fear hidden behind her guard. Galinda nodded. Johanna didn't miss this and just assumed that she didn't want Galinda. She smiled at Galinda and then casually pushed her away and pinned Elphaba.

"Are you against the idea of stripping or do you just not want her to be the one stripping you?" Elphaba swallowed hard and looked to the side. The red had saw this as a chance to act and leaned down, capturing the lobe of a deep green ear between her teeth, which oddly enough made Galinda's blood boil.

"I just... I'm not comfortable with the idea of stripping when so many people are around, I'm not exactly comfortable with my skin either." She managed to roll out from beneath her partner and sat against the wall next to the window yet again. She sighed and Galinda frowned at her.

"Elphie, are you okay? You don't look so good." Elphaba chuckled again.

"Galinda, I never look good. I'm fine don't worry about it. It's just that this is a touchy topic. Besides, we have to get back to dueling, the last fight just finished up." They got to their feet and Elphaba dusted herself off. Johanna nodded and, persistent as she is, took Elphaba's arm. Their next opponents were easily dispatched, much like the first. But Galinda on the other hand, was having some trouble. Katt and Jack had gone on to face her and her partner, and they were being straight-up mean. They were casting higher level spells and Galinda was wearing down quickly. Elphaba rose and walked briskly over to Morrible.

"Madame, may I request a partner change?" Morrible's eyebrows shot up.

"Why, Miss Elphaba this is highly irregular. What seems to be the problem with Miss Johanna?" At that moment, the aforementioned girl appeared and was back to pressing her breasts up against Elphaba's arm, continuing her habit of rubbing up against her in suggestive and compromising ways. Morrible looked down at Johanna and then into Elphaba's beseeching eyes and nodded sympathetically. "I see. Miss Galinda does look like she's in a spot of trouble how about-" Jack cast another wind spell, pushing Galinda through the window behind her.

"Elphie!" Elphaba ripped her arm away from Johanna, Galinda's name on her lips she vaulted over the sill, not noticing the glass catching her forearm, she sped down toward Galinda, her scars were already glowing, but a pain accompanied it this time, the pain of new scars burning themselves into her back. Wings of light started to painfully sprout from her back with a sizzling, ripping sound, making Elphaba glad that it was too loud for Galinda to hear it and also glad that the blonde wasn't facing her at this point, she'd curled into a ball with her eyes squeezed shut tightly. The ground was approaching fast and was way too close to Galinda for comfort. Elphaba wrapped her arms tightly around the blonde, snapping her wings open soon enough to stop them from crashing straight into the ground at the base of the tower, but didn't account for the fact that it would generate some lift and send them heading toward the forest, getting closer to the ground as they went. Elphaba knew what was going to happen, tightened her arms around Galinda, who still had her eyes squeezed tightly shut, and rolled over, smashing into the ground like a comet and sliding halfway up a tree. Galinda had expected to crash into the ground and had been shocked by the feeling of Elphaba's strong arms around her. When the expected impact and crushing pain didn't come, Galinda just assumed that she had died before she hit the ground, so she was understandably shocked when she felt a jarring impact and heard the sound of furrowing earth. When they came to a full stop she looked up at Elphaba, who looked down at her at the same time. She brushed a blonde curl out of Galinda's face, leaving a trail of heat in her wake, and when she spoke it was very quietly.

"Are you alright?" Galinda suddenly hugged her, holding her tight and snuggling into her chest, knocking the wind out of her again.

"Elphie." Elphaba hugged her back firmly, her joints and muscles protesting. She felt the blonde crying into her shirt and gently pressed her lips to the top of her head, stroking her hair to calm her and whispering in her ear, telling her that it was okay, she was safe. Galinda calmed down after a time and quickly grew alarmed at what Elphaba had done.

"Elphie! You really could have died this time! Why did you do that!?" At this point she was fussing with her and exclaiming over every injury, nearly bursting into tears at the sight of her more-or-less skinned back. Elphaba stopped her fussing.

"If I hadn't you would have died. By the way, if you want to have any chance of getting me to the infirmary, then I suggest we leave now before the class manages to get down the stairs. Galinda turned around and saw students rushing down the stairs from the tower. She grabbed Elphaba's hand and began running toward the infirmary. Elphaba's wings had evaporated upon landing, mercifully sparing her from Galinda's poking and prodding. Galinda pulled Elphaba through the doors, to the exasperated attentions of Dr. Sputnik.

"We just got rid of you a week ago and you're already back?!" Elphaba grimaced at him as she sat on an exam table.

"Well, I have intention of staying any longer than is absolutely necessary for basic first aid." Galinda glared at her.

"You will stay as long as he tells you to." Elphaba did an imitation of Galinda's pout and crossed her legs in a way that screamed sexy to Galinda and she immediately blushed slightly at the thought. Elphaba laughed at her flustered expression.

"Galinda, I very much doubt that I will be required to stay here for very long."

"She's right Miss Galinda. She doesn't need an extended stay this time. Simple first aid should be sufficient." Elphaba smirked victoriously.

"See? Even the Doctor agrees with me." Galinda giggled and swatted her arm, earning her a stern glare from the mentioned man.

"But I do suggest that you don't do anything that will put a strain on your back or sides." Now it was Galinda's turn to smirk.

"So that essentially means bed rest in the dorm?" The Doctor avoided Elphaba's eyes, if looks could kill he would be dead and turned to dust, and nodded the affirmative. Galinda didn't know why, but the prospect of taking care of Elphaba for a few days was incredibly appealing. Elphaba felt similarly, except she had a sense of trepidation. The doctor gave Elphaba some pain medication to deal with her half-skinned back and the cut on her arm, some ointments, a sling for her fractured shoulder and a warning to avoid moving her torso as much as possible due to the fractured and/or broken ribs on her right side. On their way out, a girl came up to Elphaba with a worried expression on her face. Her build was similar to Galinda's, her breasts were smaller and she was slightly shorter, but their faces were quite similar, the only differences being a slightly smaller nose, fuller lips, and emerald green eyes. She wore her hair short, it looked like bird feathers, except dyed like fire, making it shimmer in the light. She was wearing a top similar to what Elphaba had been wearing and a black pleated skirt that went to about mid thigh, and a pair of black combat boots.

"Elphaba are you okay? I heard that there had been an incident during your sorcery class." Elphaba smiled at the girl and nodded.

"I'm fine Sam, it wasn't a big deal." Galinda and Sam both scowled at Elphaba, starting in on her at the same time.

"Elphie! I told you to stop talking like that!"

"Elphaba! It's obviously bad if the person you saved is helping you!" Elphaba couldn't stop herself and laughed openly at the two, when they both asked why she was laughing at exactly the same time she only laughed harder and leaned on the nearest pillar for support. Galinda and Sam both had similar thoughts about this, the only difference being that Sam knew what she was feeling and Galinda didn't, and so when her imagination wandered to some interesting scenarios she blushed, hoping that neither Galinda nor Elphaba saw. Galinda always loved Elphaba's laugh and had found that she liked it even more when they were on friendlier terms. When Elphaba stopped laughing she introduced the two.

"Sam this is Galinda Upland, my roommate and friend. Galinda this is Sam Corrice. She's in my Psychology class." Galinda looked at her in confusion.

"I didn't know you were taking a Psychology class." Elphaba chuckled a little.

"It's the earliest one in the morning." She seemed to look at something behind Galinda for a moment, then there was a flash of fear in her eyes, quickly covered by the stone mask she usually wore. "Sam, get Galinda inside, preferably out of sight." Sam turned and looked, having a similar reaction to Elphaba's to whatever it was that she saw, except the flash of emotion across her face was anger, not fear. She nodded to Elphaba, grabbed Galinda's arm, and with a quiet 'Good luck.' pulled her into Crage Hall and up toward Galinda's dorm. Elphaba watched them go, then turned and stoically walked forward to meet the Unionist minister coming through the gates. She extended a hand and he disdainfully shook it.

"Hello Father. "


	4. Chapter 4

**SwiftieLovaticGleek: I really like that song too. The answer to your question is a bit sexual so I'll leave a direct answer until later. I actually feel a bit bad about abusing the Elphie in my story this much but it's apart of the dynamic and may become important to the plot later on... ;_;**

**ElphabaandGlinda12: Rockstar Elphie quite literally rocks I agree, and thank you for the enthusiasm. ;)**

**LuciferOfTheSouthPole: It wasn't a bad review at all.**

"Hello Elphaba."

"I presume that you are here to see Miss Nessarose?"

"Actually I'm here to see both of you. I've received a letter from Nessa that I wanted to talk to you two about." Elphaba nodded.

"Alright." She caught the attention of a passing porter and instructed him to bring Nessarose Thropp to them. He nodded and dashed off. "She'll be here soon, Father. How have you been faring?"

"Drop the niceties girl. We both know that neither of us really cares about how the other is doing, so why bother at all when it will only irritate one or both of us." They gazed casually around the quad as they spoke.

"Fine. What was the letter about?"

"Miss Galinda Upland hit Nessa."

"What!? When?!" Elphaba feigned surprise, but inside she was struggling to stop a smirk from decorating her lips and an odd sense of pride filled her.

"When you were apparently unconscious after having surgery. You seem perfectly fine to me."

"It was about two weeks ago, I didn't think it was a big deal, but Miss Upland freaked out over a bit of blood."

"A bit? You were pale as pistachio pudding and you were covered in it." The porter had wheeled Nessa to them and Elphaba thanked him, slipping him a couple coins while her father was distracted by Nessa's presence.

"Nessa! It's wonderful to see you again, my child." He leaned down and hugged her.

"I've missed you too Papa." _Really? I haven't. _Elphaba thought to herself as the golden child greeted their father.

"Now what's this I hear about Miss Upland hitting you?"

"Oh it was horrible Papa! I was just saying that however Elphaba got hurt," She turned looked at her sister. "you still haven't told me about that yet," Then turned back to her father "was probably her fault and the Unnamed God's punishment for her horrible personality and that awful skin color." Frexspar fixed her with a cold glare.

"I'll talk with you later. But for now, we need to decide how we will be getting back at Miss Upland for harming my beautiful Nessa. No one hurts a Thropp and gets away with it alive. Now, which one of you is around her the most."

"That would be Elphaba, Papa, she's her roommate." Frexspar nodded and turned to his eldest daughter.

"Good. Elphaba, tonight while she's sleeping, you will exact revenge for Nessa. Use my whip." He held out the aforementioned weapon. Nessa and Frex were unaware of it, but they were right beneath Elphaba's window and the blonde was watching and listening with bated breath. Elphaba backed a couple steps away.

"No." He narrowed his eyes at her and let the whip loose from its coil.

"What did you say to me?"

"I said no. I will not hurt her. I refuse." In the blink of an eye he had brought the whip back and cracked it down from her right shoulder to her left hip, tearing the fabric and leaving a bright red line in its wake. He struck her again and again for a few minutes.

"Try that again."

"_READ. MY. LIPS. _I. WILL. NOT. HURT. GALINDA. UPLAND." The whip cracked again, she blocked it, making it wrap around her forearm. She yanked the whip from him, consequently bringing herself closer to him. In the two feet or so of space left between them she held up her forearm, the whip still wrapped around it and the handle in her hand.

"And if you ever try to hurt her, or _anyone_ I care about, well, things'll get a little," She smirked wickedly the whip bursting into flames and illuminating her hate filled eyes. "_heated._"

"I'll disown you." She barked out a laugh.

"Go right ahead, it's not like you've ever done anything for me anyway."

"What about me Fabala? Would you shame me with the burden of calling you sister?"

"Call me bitch, green bean, artichoke, monster, sinful, anything you want, I _don't_ care. I'm done with our screwed up little 'family'. Besides Nessa, I'm only your _half _sister." She began to walk away. Frexspar's face went red as a raspberry and he grabbed her slung arm, digging his fingers in and pulling hard, Galinda heard it crack as he whirled her around and slammed his fist into her ribs, cracking several. Elphaba grabbed his fist and dug her nails in, drawing blood and cracking the joint. He used his other hand to turn her around and pull her flush against him. She slammed her elbow back into solar plexus and used her grip on his wrist to flip him over her shoulder, slamming him face first into the ground before walking away.

"Get back here!" He withdrew several orange sized clear orbs of glass filled with water from the satchel on his hip and threw them at her. They connected with her back and shoulders, hissing and sizzling on contact. Her steps faltered and she turned to face him, green fire glowing in her eyes.

"You shouldn't have done that." She raised a hand and he flew back and hit the dormitory wall fast enough to crack it. Nessa gasped and immediately began to yell at the green girl, tears streaming down her porcelain cheeks.

"YOU MONSTER!"

"Oh shut up Nessa, he was married to Mom and that's the extent of our familial connections." Elphaba walked forward and picked a semi-conscious Frexspar up by his stiff collar and began to walk toward the gates, Nessa following her.

"HE RAISED YOU!" She turned toward Nessa with a fire in her eyes.

"NO NESSA. HE RAISED YOU! HE BEAT ME! I WAS HIS FUCKING TOY! He never raised me. He hates me, and don't even try to deny it, I know you do too." Galinda and Sam could hear this from the window and Galinda had started crying while Sam put a sympathetic and supportive arm around her shoulders. Elphaba continued on to the gates, throwing him out of them and giving the guards specific instructions. As Elphaba was walking past her, Nessa piped up again.

"He was right about you. He was always right about you. You _are_ evil."

"Evil is made, not born. So who do you think made me this way?" With that Elphaba breezed past her and headed for her dormitory. Galinda slipped out of Sam's hold and ran down the stairs and out into the quad. She spotted Elphaba walking toward the door and barreled out of it, tackling her to the ground and burying her face in her neck.

"Elphie." The blonde whispered. Sam came out and her heart thumped painfully at the sight before her.

"I-I tried to stop her."

"It's alright Sam. Thank you for trying. I suppose you guys heard what was said."

"And saw what he did."

"And that's why she's crying, got it." Elphaba sat up and wrapped her less damaged arm around the sobbing blonde, whispering in her ear to comfort her. "It's okay. I will never let anyone hurt you."

"It's not me I'm worried about." Elphaba chuckled softly.

"Well that's just not right. You should be worried about you. If you aren't, then who'll deal with your wardrobe, me? Most definitely not." Galinda giggled slightly at this and swatted her playfully on the right side of her upper chest.

"Miss Elphaba you can be genuinely silly some times."

"Only when I'm with you my sweet, but we should get up so that Sam isn't forced to stand and awkwardly watch us converse." Galinda blushed and nodded. They had just risen from the ground and Elphaba was tackled again from behind by a streak of red hair and black clothes. Elphaba caught herself on her arm, and groaned internally when she felt the cleavage being pressed into her back.

"Hello Miss Johanna."

"I saw what happened earlier with your family, I'm so sorry! I had no idea that you were raised like that. If there's anything I can do to help," At this point Elphaba squeaked as the girl groped her, sneaking one hand under her sling to grip a breast while the other arm slipped around her side and traveled down south to cup her core, she brought her mouth down to Elphaba's ear, licking the shell. "just let me know." Sam casually made as if to walk by, using her knee to push Johanna off of a panicking and shocked Elphaba on her way past.

"Oh I'm so sorry Miss Johanna, I must have misjudged the distance, I thought I was farther away than that." Elphaba had sprung up from the ground and was now standing behind a very angry blonde. Sam reached down to help Johanna up and Johanna looked her up and down, apparently deciding that she didn't mind being knocked to the ground by her, and accepted her hand up. Galinda grabbed Elphaba's hand in her own.

"We're gonna go back to the infirmary, you two have fun." Johanna pouted a little, and Sam only nodded, knowing how uncomfortable Elphaba had been in that situation. When Dr. Sputnik saw them he slapped his face with his palm and pointed to an empty exam room, sending a nurse in with them. Elphaba sat on the examining table and when Galinda was about to enter the room the nurse stopped her.

"I'm sorry Miss Upland but if you would please wait out here she will be out shortly." Galinda looked over the nurse's shoulder and saw Elphaba nod. She nodded to the nurse and sat down in the chair by the door, thinking about the day, a sly smile curving her lips when she remembered Elphaba's earlier challenge. When Elphaba walked out of the examination room she had her top draped over her bandaged forearm and slightly on her splinted upper arm, wet side up and her entire torso was covered in white linen bandaging, contrasting the tight low cut black pants hugging the bottom of her hips and Galinda almost forgot to breath as she smiled at the nurse as they conversed, laughing as the woman made a joke.

"... Galinda will be more than capable. Besides, you know me, it takes a lot more than this to take me down." Galinda's lips curved in a smirk and she rose quietly from her chair to gently capture Elphaba from behind, resting her arms very lightly around her scrawny waist.

"Unless I make you stay down." Elphaba laughed lightly.

"Yes, unlessyou manage to make me."

"What's this manage business, I will make you." Elphaba rolled her eyes, turning her head to see her roommate, a smirk curving her lips now.

"Riiiight. In any case, we should probably get back to our dormitory so that our little battle over this can be contained and no damage done to the student populous."

"I mean it about the bed rest Elphaba. Stay in bed and try not to move, I know it hurts now when you do so don't even attempt to deny it." Elphaba rolled her eyes.

"Yes ma'am." The nurse released them to go and Galinda moved so that she could take Elphaba's top from her and link their arms together. As they walked out the doors Elphaba looked nervous.

"What?"

"I keep expecting to get pounced on again by Johanna. Oz, that woman is strange. When we were in class she was ridiculously persistent, and what is it with her and nibbling my ears!?" She put her hands over the aforementioned body part as if to stop further assault upon them. "It's a little creepy when you don't even know the person all that well!" Galinda laughed at her friend and her unfortunate predicament with the vivacious ginger, despite the odd pulse of jealousy that she ignored completely. "And what is it that she sees?! Seriously! This is ridiculous! WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING!?"

"Because you're just being so adorably confused!" Galinda barely got the sentence out before she broke down into crazy laughter again.

"Ohhh, you are _so_ getting it! C'mere you!" Elphaba grabbed Galinda by the wrist, pulling the blonde in front of her and tickling her sides. Galinda tried to squirm out of her grasp, but Elphaba was strong enough to keep her curling against her stomach, laughing and grinning wickedly. Galinda fell and Elphaba chased her to the ground, pulling her on top of her before they reached the ground as she continued to tickle her. Galinda squirmed on top of her, begging her to stop before accidentally elbowing her, causing her to cough a bit at the sudden impact. Galinda took advantage of this and rolled over, pinning the green girl's hands before smiling down at her.

"That was totally unfair!" Elphaba smiled up at her innocently, her braid over her shoulder again.

"I didn't hurt you," Her face became one of concern. "did I?" Galinda giggled.

"No Elphie, you didn't." She helped the girl to her feet. "But are you alright?" Elphaba smiled at her reassuringly.

"I'm fine." They continued walking to their room and when they were a few steps from their door, Galinda stopped Elphaba by wrapping her arms around her.

"Caught you. Again." Elphaba groaned.

"I was quite hoping that you had forgotten our little wager." Galinda giggled.

"Nope. So, tell me what cruel twist of fate turned your dress into a heap of rags?" Elphaba chuckled and opened the door, holding it for Galinda to pass before going in herself. Galinda handed Elphaba's shirt to her when she asked so that she could put it away. Elphaba settled against the headboard of her bed and crossed her legs, Galinda doing the same at the foot of the bed.

"In chemistry we were experimenting with sodium, creating flavored salts and such. Well, some nit-wit was messing around with every chemical he could lay his hands on. The solution he created hissed and fizzed a lot, giving him the basic impression that it was dangerous. Then one of his buddies took it from him and threw it at me for a lark. It landed about a yard short and shattered, the fool had thrown it near the small amount of nitro glycerin in the lab that the Professor kept for strictly demonstrative purposes, resulting in an explosion. It was relatively small and I was the only one that got caught in the blast, so, you know, small mercies I suppose." Galinda glared at her hard and she looked back curiously. "What?"

"You didn't say anything."

"I just didn't want you to worry." Galinda huffed.

"I want to worry about you Elphie. I want to know if you're hurt. You don't have to hide from me."

"I know my sweet, but I really just didn't want you to worry, plus if I told you you would have sent me to the infirmary again, and let's be honest, I've been there enough times to last the year." Galinda tried to scowl but couldn't hold it and ended up in a fit of giggles. Elphaba smiled at her.

"Since when are you so charming?"

"Since when do I _have_ charm?" They both laughed a little before Elphaba rose and went to her desk, drafting a quick letter to her boss before opening the window and flagging a passing Postal Pigeon.

"Yes Miss Elphaba?"

"Could you please take this letter to the Rose and Thorns Alchemy shop in the market? I'm afraid that I'll have to be on disability leave again." The Pigeon offered his leg and she tied the letter to it before putting some coins in the pouch on his back to pay him for his services.

"You know he'll probably dock your pay."

"It's alright, it's not my only job so I think I'll be okay." He nodded and set off. Elphaba turned back to Galinda with a frown on her face.

"I forgot my satchel at the tower, mind if I go get it?"

"You get settled into bed and I'll get it." Galinda got off of Elphaba's bed and moved toward the door, as she reached for the knob there was a knock. She opened the door to be met with the sight of a tired and disheveled looking Sam holding Elphaba's satchel and shirt. Sam walked in and handed Elphaba the shirt and satchel.

"That Johanna chick, must have something seriously wrong with her. She was gonna swipe your stuff before I got a hold of it." Elphaba tried to hold a straight face at her miffed expression.

"Thank you for your brave sacrifice." Sam groaned and threw a glare over her shoulder at Elphaba as she left. Galinda closed the door and frowned.

"Did I just get ignored?" Elphaba chuckled.

"I do believe so, but in her defense she was tired and she had to deal with Johanna." Galinda grimaced and nodded.

"I'm actually happy to be ignored as long as I don't have to deal with her." Elphaba settled on top of her bed with her satchel on her lap, pulling out her homework.

"Well, you already have your own, less proactive, version of Johanna." Galinda looked confused. Elphaba rolled her eyes. "You know? Boq? The munchkin that has practically been stalking you since the start of the school year?"

"Oh! Biq! He's not as much of a stalker, more like a friend kept at a distance."

"He's a stalker and you know it blondie. So, drinks at the Warehouse tonight?" Elphaba had her glasses balanced on her nose and was doing her homework as she asked this casually. Galinda laughed at her.

"Nice try Elphie, but no, you are staying in that bed for the week and that's that."

"Well then you'd have to stay here with me to make sure I didn't disobey your orders. So why be stuck with me when you could be running about with that Winkie boy instead?" Galinda frowned.

"You know, now that you mention it, I haven't thought of Fiyero this entire time, only when I've seen him have I actually remembered his existence. Which isn't like me at all!" Elphaba nodded and looked at her sagely.

"If you don't spend some time with him he might leave you." Elphaba felt horrible for saying this, but she didn't want the blonde to be stuck here with her, besides, it would be the second time in a week that she had been sentenced to bed rest. Galinda seemed to think on it for a second.

"Well, that wouldn't be so bad actually." Elphaba's jaw dropped.

"But not even three days ago you were talking about how you wanted to marry the sap! And he gave you that necklace today!" Galinda grimaced and took it off, setting it down on the nightstand between their beds.

"He is sweet, but honestly, he's a bit rough and demanding. He insists on a kiss every time I so much as make eye contact with him. He's a bit full of himself too, and he spends far too much time around Averic and his crowd."

"Why did you even like him in the first place?!" Galinda shrugged.

"He was a handsome, sweet, prince, and it was really more of a peer pressure thing combined with unfortunate circumstances."

"Like what? Being left dateless for the Ozdust ball?" Galinda nodded.

"It's coming up and I refused to go alone, honestly, I think I'd rather go with Biq." They both laughed a little.

"Well I'm not going at all, so I suppose that would be your only option." Galinda looked baffled.

"Not going? But Elphie! The Ozdust is every young lady and gentleman of Shiz's premiere to the world! It makes us Ladies and the gents become Lords in the eyes of the world! You have to go!" Elphaba looked at her dubiously and held up two fingers.

"Two things. One: I don't have anything formal enough to work for the function, nor the money to buy anything, and Two: Galinda, what in Oz makes you think that I would go to a ball meant for couples when I am so obviously alone and forever single?"

"Well I can go shopping with you and I'll pay for your dress!"

"No, Galinda I can't ask you to-" The blonde plowed on.

"And you aren't alone anymore! I would go with you!" Elphaba smirked.

"Isn't against your code of honor to go to a formal function with a girl?" Galinda blushed.

"Well, I could easily make an exception for you." Galinda clasped two green hands in her own. "Please Elphie! Please say you'll go with me?!" Elphaba rolled her eyes but acquiesced.

"Fine, but I refuse to wear a dress unless I get to choose it."

"Only if you let me approve it first." Elphaba nodded.

"Deal."

"Good." They sat for a minute just staring at each other before they burst out laughing at the speed of the exchange when both had anticipated an argument. The two girls spent the afternoon chatting and Galinda began to try and decide what color Elphaba's dress should be, to which the green girl rolled her eyes and pointedly put her nose in a book.

**It's shorter than usual I know, but I felt bad for taking so long to update.**


	5. Chapter 5

**SwiftieLovaticGleek: Thank you, I thought I was over doing the amount of action packed into four chapters so I'm glad that no one's become exasperated with me.**

**LuciferOfTheSouthPole: I thought that I was over doing Elphaba's loyalty to Galinda, but I suppose it worked out in good favor...**

A few days later, Elphaba was reading as Galinda studied her over the top of the textbook she was supposed to be using to study for arithmetic. Elphaba was sitting with her legs crossed and bouncing the end of a pencil against her knee while she studied for a test in Life Science. Her spectacles were perched on her nose, her hair was down cascading over her shoulders and against her chest in a beautiful river of spun night, and she had been forgoing a shirt for the last few days, leaving her recently changed bandages in full view. She turned the page with an elegant hand, drawing attention to the bandages on her forearm and hand. As Galinda watched her, part of her felt an over whelming excitement that she was going to the Ozdust with the beautiful girl sitting not six feet away, while the other part of her wondered about how she was raised. From her view point she could see scars peeking out from beneath the bandaging, winding across her arms and abdomen, even on her feet where they poked out from beneath her leggings.

"What?" Galinda jumped at the question and flailed for an answer, her eyes quickly landing on the clock.

"I was just, um, wondering if you wanted me to go get some lunch for us from the cafe?" She asked hoping that Elphaba hadn't noticed her panicked expression. Elphaba looked up and out the window for a minute.

"It isn't that far away and I'm probably well enough to go with you. How about we eat down there instead of bringing it up here?" Elphaba closed her book and set her spectacles on the desk as she pulled out her single remaining button down shirt, shrugging it on and beginning to button it up.

"Are you sure Elphie? We don't exactly have permission from Dr. Sputnik." Elphaba finished buttoning her shirt and looked up at her, hazel eyes capturing her attention.

"Well, if it makes you feel better we can bring it back up here, but I figured you'd appreciate a chance to communicate with the world other than the prickly cactus." She scrunched her nose adorably at the last bit and her eyes showed a sort of mocking humor at the nickname she had been given. Galinda laughed.

"I do run into people on food runs you know, besides, you're not a cactus, you're a valid excuse for getting out of class." She pulled on her coat and opened the door.

"I feel so used." Elphaba mumbled, barely loud enough for Galinda to hear and feigning hurt as she swept past her and out into the hall. Elphaba chivalrously offered her arm to Galinda. "May I have the honor of escorting you anyway, m'lady?" Galinda daintily nodded and linked their arms. They laughed and made their way down the stairs. They crossed the quad and Elphaba saw Nessa, waving at her cheekily as the other girl glared daggers, if looks could kill, Elphaba's spunk would have her six feet under and turned to dust. Galinda laughed at the comical interaction between the two sisters and Elphaba smiled at her. They reached the cafe and Elphaba quickly placed her order, disappearing for a few seconds while Galinda ordered and waited for their food. The green girl slid into the booth behind her and dangled a white Gillikin rose down in front of her face. Galinda saw the green hand holding the dark stem and smiled as she took the rose and smelt it. Elphaba vacated her position behind the blonde in favor of sitting across from her, smiling once again. Galinda smiled back at her as she smelled the rose again.

"Thank you. Where did you get it?"

"I saw a flower stand on the way here and the stall owner had a fresh a batch just in from the Gillikin. I know you like them so I thought that I should get you one as a thank you."

"For what?"

"Sticking around, taking care of me even though you really didn't need to."

"I wouldn't dream of leaving." Elphaba smiled at her. The bell over the shops door rang and her smile became a bemused smirk.

"Hello Master Boq, how nice to see you." Boq smiled at her sheepishly and waved before turning to Galinda.

"M-Miss Galinda, I-I've been wondering for sometime i-if you had anyone to go to the Ozdust with, a-and if not would you... consider going with me?" He seemed to notice the rose but chose to ignore it in the favor of hoping that it was from a friend or that she herself had bought it. Galinda looked at Elphaba who was back to smiling bemusedly with a knowing, yet fully encouraging look in her eye.

"I do actually have someone that I'm going with, I'm sorry Master Boq, but thank you for the offer." His face fell, but there was a gleam of curiosity in his eye.

"M-may I ask who?" Galinda cast a sideways glance at Elphaba and the green girl smiled.

"A secret admirer." Elphaba supplied. Boq frowned.

"But Miss Galinda, you don't know who he is!" Elphaba had to keep from laughing at her blonde friend's predicament.

"Alas Master Boq, I have found out her mysterious suitor's identity, and although he requested I keep his identity a secret, I am positive that Miss Galinda will be safe with him." Elphaba supplied, smoothly saving Galinda from what was sure to be an awkward conversation. Boq sullenly looked at the ground.

"Well, that was all I had to say, so I'll bid you good afternoon and get going. Miss Elphaba." He nodded his head respectfully to her.

"Good afternoon Master Boq, and don't give up hope, I hear Miss Milla fancies you." He seemed to brighten if only slightly.

"Thank you for that information Miss Elphaba."

"Anytime Master Boq." He bowed to Galinda and left. Their food came and Galinda glared at Elphaba over her soup as she smiled at her devilishly.

"Secret Admirer? Really? Is that all you could come up with?" Elphaba chuckled.

"Well I could have just told him that we were secretly gay for each other this entire time and asked each other to the Ozdust in the hopes of seeing each other in tight and revealing dresses, but I do believe that he would have assaulted one or both of us." Galinda had been taking a drink of water and Elphaba had to take cover under the table as she spat it out at her following her ridiculously-close-to-the-mark statement.

"What?!" Elphaba peeked out from under the table.

"Oh it's not like he would have believed it anyway, besides if you were gay for anyone it would probably be Pfannee or Shenshen at this point." Elphaba ducked back under the table as a hot spoon was thrown her way.

"Elphie!" Galinda was blushing furiously and positively scandalized but had caught on to the joke. "I could never be gay for Pfannee or Shenshen! They're even stupider than they look!" The two of them laughed and Elphaba emerged from under the table satisfied that nothing more would be thrown her way or spat at her. They laughed and when a waiter came by with Elphaba's vegetable soup and set it down next to Galinda before going off to get a towel to clean up the mild mess they had created. Elphaba plopped down next to Galinda and poked at her soup while Galinda tried not to hyperventilate at her proximity.

"Um, since you seem to think that you're well enough to wander around, do you want to go dress shopping?" Elphaba looked at her through narrowed and suspicious eyes, her dark lashes momentarily distracting Galinda at their perfect thickness.

"I assume you mean for you, right?" Galinda thought about it for a moment.

"I suppose so, yes. Your bandages would probably interfere with the fit of a dress. But as soon as you're bandage free, I'm going to drag you out with me." Elphaba rolled her eyes.

"Yes, I'll go with you, but know that I am thoroughly dreading the tortures of finding a dress for me, I imagine with you at my side it will be quite an arduous task." Galinda rolled her eyes.

"Oh it won't be that bad." Elphaba just glared at her and sighed, returning to eat her soup. They ate in silence, mostly to avoid another spit take incident. When they were done Galinda put the money on the table to pay for their food and Elphaba covered the tip. They walked out of the cafe and across the quad, heading out through the gates and Galinda turned left.

"May I ask where we're going?"

"There's a little shop that I usually go to for dresses, it's called Serendipity." Elphaba rolled her eyes and took her arm.

"That place is closed today, someone broke in, and while I may not be a fan of dresses, I've had to go with Nessa to get dresses for her frequently enough that my Grandfather essentially made us our own store. Nessa uses our privileges in it more than I do, but I think you may actually like some of the dresses there better." Elphaba pulled her into a beautiful glass fronted shop labeled HALLIFAX'S. The décor was Emerald City Neo Modern and the architecture was old Blue Stone, creating a beautiful contrast. The dresses themselves were organized by color, the darker ones on the right and proceeding to the left for the brighter dresses, the dresses were then categorized into style, the frillier, more elaborate dresses were at the front of the shop with the elegant, more sultry and adult gowns in the back, and to top it all off, each had their own mannequin and their own stand. A woman in a simple yet elegant white evening gown with a tight beaded bodice that flared out into a skirt shaped like an Easter Lily with a rippled edge that was dyed a dark blood red that bled smoothly upward into the creamy white of the rest of the skirt. The cut of the skirt exposed her long toned legs as well as a pair of strappy leather sandals that reached mid calf. Her curly light brown hair was in an elegant up do with a few strands hanging down to frame her face and highlight her semi-tanned skin. A classically elegant necklace encircled her neck, hanging low enough to draw attention to her bust, but not be obvious about it. The necklace was a simple black cord with a carved ruby cameo. She was tall and over all even Galinda had to admit that she looked fantastic.

"Why Galinda! What are you doing here?"

"Hallie? I haven't seen you since-"

"The last dress fitting before your birthday ball when you turned eighteen!" The two embraced and Elphaba smiled.

"Good to know you two know each other already." Hallie let go of Galinda and set a hand on Elphaba's shoulder.

"Please tell me you are here to get this one a dress of some sort! I already have multiple designs just for her and she hasn't let me even show her the sketches! She only wears those horrible black frocks and men's attire it appears!" Galinda turned to Elphaba.

"_Hallifax_ has multiple dress designs for you and you haven't let her try a single one!? Forget about getting me a dress I want to see this!" Hallifax smiled at Galinda and the two women penned Elphaba in between them by taking both her arms.

"I'm not getting out of this am I?"

"No." Hallifax and Galinda said in unison. Elphaba sighed and resigned herself to her fate. They walked toward the back of the shop, Hallifax telling one of the shop girls that she had a couple of private customers and that she would be busy for a while. The trio reached the back of the shop and went through a small door into a fitting room that doubled as an office. Hallifax led the two younger girls over to a desk. She opened a drawer and pulled out its contents, a single green notebook with ELPHABA THROPP THE THROPP THIRD DESCENDING embossed on the cover in silver.

"She has an entire sketchbook devoted to you!?"

"I have for approximately eight years and I haven't been able to use a single one of them. So, what occasion did you originally come here for?"

"Well, originally we came here for a dress for Galinda, we're going to the Ozdust together and it appears that neither of us have a dress that we believe is fit for the occasion."

"Oohh, so someone finally asked you out? I knew it was only a matter of time!"

"It's not a date." Elphaba and Galinda dead panned at the same time.

"Sure it isn't, sure it isn't." She ran her hand down the side of the book and flipped it open when she reached a midnight blue tag. On the page were sketches of Elphaba in multiple poses, looking as she did now, razor sharp features outlined beautifully. Her hair was up in a loose bun and strands of midnight hair hung down in streaks of charcoal to accent her sharp, beautiful features and her long, elegant neck. She was wearing a smoothly cut dress with a navy shoulder strap that was approximately an inch wide and progressed smoothly into the bodice. The dress progressed form the navy blue shoulder strap down to black until it reached the charcoal black edge of the dress. The bodice was tightly fitted and decorated with black beading along the side in a pattern similar to ivy. The beading faded to white and flared out on the dark skirt, resembling snow, the dress fell smoothly on her frame and accented her every curve, showing off her breasts with a tantalizingly low cut that swooped just under her left arm and accenting the musculature of her back subtly. The skirt was cut similarly to the skirt of Hallifax's dress, a ripple in the fabric that went around the entire hem, the cut started at approximately knee length and another layer emerged from beneath it, that looked just like the layer above it. She was wearing strappy black sandals with a slight heel that accented her slim legs. A black clutch was under her arm in one sketch and she was wearing dangling sapphire and silver earrings. In another sketch the point of view was from behind and it showed two lengths of a black delicate material hanging down her back. The dress exposed her pointed shoulders and accented her body beautifully. There were sketches of Elphaba laughing and drinking some sort of white wine while sitting down. The sketches were in a range of positions, and no matter what, the dress looked absolutely breathtaking. _She _was breathtaking. Galinda snuck a look at Elphaba to see her staring down at the page as if she didn't believe she could look like that.

"I originally intended for this dress and its' accessories to be for your coming out ball, but seeing as your father intervened, I think that now would be the perfect time for it."

"It would be but there's a slight problem." Hallifax put a motherly hand on her arm.

"And what would that be?"

"I have... scars. Lots of them."

"It can't be that bad. Come on, shirt off, let's see." Elphaba hesitantly undid the buttons on her shirt, she untucked the tail of the linen bandages and turned away from them as she unwound the them. The skin on her back had grown back for the most part but patches of gauze still adorned her lower back and a large square of it was secured over her shoulder. Words, whip lashes, cuts, burns, gouges, even a few bullet wounds, the scars became more and more apparent as Elphaba unwound the bandages, many of them wrapping around her sides and terminating on her abdomen and chest, but what made Galinda's heart clench the most was a set of three scars that looked like they were from claws. They were thick, jagged, silvery ridges that began just under her left arm, the longest one curling around her right hip with the tip out of sight. Elphaba held her shirt to her chest with shaking hands as the other two women in the room took in the sight. Galinda walked forward and gently traced the three big scars, Elphaba jumping at her touch.

"What happened?" Elphaba cleared her throat a little.

"Three years ago, my family and I were traveling through the Dragon Cupboard. Frexspar went off somewhere while we watered the horses, and when her came back he told me that he had dropped his bible in a canyon and told me to go get it for me. I wasn't a fool. I knew that there was probably something nasty waiting for me down there, but he threatened to throw me into the canyon if I didn't go of my own will." She took a breath and Galinda felt her back tense slightly under her finger tips. "I climbed down the canyon wall, it got darker the farther I went and by the time I reached the bottom, I could hardly see a thing. So I lit a witch's stone by striking it against the rocks, and inadvertently woke a dragon. My father's bible fell on his nose and he was angry enough to roar, causing it to fall into his mouth before I could get it. So, with the bible destroyed with no hope of retrieval, I ran. I ran along the bottom of the canyon, the dragon right behind me the entire time, crashing through the rocks that got in its way. With the dragon and I running along the bottom of the canyon, other... things, began to wake as well. I came to a dead end at the end of the canyon. He was behind me and there was a cliff covered in moving shadows in front of and around me. I kept running and pulled the same maneuver on the dragon that I did with you a few days ago. I landed on top of him and held on tight, knowing that he would definitely not be pleased with me. He took off and flew out of the canyon. When he passed the edge, I jumped off and ran towards a geological formation known as the Dragon's Bones. There are multiple spires of enormous rock that curve like ribs and a few hills around them as well as a mountain that forms the 'Dragon's Head'. He followed me into the Ribs and caught up with me, he swung at me and was close enough to connect." She gently touched each scar at their origin. "I was knocked into one of the spires and I couldn't move. I thought that he would kill me, but he didn't, instead he lay down and stared at me. Just stared. I was bleeding out and he knew that. After a bit he started to... talk to me, not physically though, it was closer to telepathy. He asked me why I disturbed him and I answered him honestly and told him about the bible that he had eaten. The dragon coughed a little and returned the bible to me, and while we were waiting for me to die, he told me about his life, because he hadn't talked to anyone in a few millennium and as I was the first person he was going to kill after he woke up, he thought 'What the hell, I might as well.' and just told me everything he could remember, from hatching up until he went to sleep, a time before humans had colonized Oz and the dragons were being hunted instead of protected. I told him how things were now, and he seemed truly grateful for the information. When he thought I was dead, he left to go back to his lair in the canyon, and when I thought I was about to die, my Grandfather found me and saved me. He had heard the dragon roar shortly after finding out what Frexspar had done." Elphaba laughed a little. "The two haven't been on good terms since. I think though, that that was both the best and the worst day of my life, I paid for it though besides the scars and a "trauma induced exhaustion", Frexspar locked me in a closet for five days for getting dragon saliva on his beloved bible." She laughed at the eccentricity of it.

"So you actually met and talked to a dragon? Ozma, child, you deserve a medal."

"They aren't actually as violent as everyone says, they just really like their sleep." Elphaba rewound her bandages and put her shirt back on before turning around and gently putting her hands on Galinda's upper arms and trying to get her attention. The blonde looked at her and then slowly moved forward, wrapping her arms gently around the green girl and resting her head with her ear above Elphaba's heart. Elphaba gently placed a hand on her soft blonde hair and wrapped the other around her waist. "What's wrong my sweet?" Galinda didn't answer for a moment just listening to her strong heart beating steadily in her ear. Finally she turned her head to rest her forehead against her chest, breathing in that scent that was so distinctly Elphaba before answering.

"I just hate that you had to be raised with someone with such a high capacity for cruelty. Making you go down into a canyon to shuffle around for some bible is scary and cruel on its own, but adding an angry dragon to the mix is just horrible."

"Frexspar is a coward, I agree, but I'm still alive and I'm right here my sweet, I've already dealt with him and he won't be coming back to bother either of us for the foreseeable future. Okay?" Galinda took a moment more before nodding against her chest and looking up at her. "Good." Elphaba pressed her soft lips to Galinda's forehead in a gentle kiss before they disentangled themselves. Elphaba took Galinda's hand and gently led her over to Hallifax who was sitting in her office chair with a new notebook in hand, drawing someone that definitely wasn't Elphaba.

"Is that entire notebook going to be for Galinda?" Hallifax tapped her pencil against her lips.

"Yes, and the scars won't be a problem for the dress I showed you, they'll probably accent your musculature and bone structure even more and the light color actually goes with the dress." She turned her head to look up at Elphaba. "Will you accept that dress?" Elphaba nodded and Hallifax smiled. "Good, I have some wonderful ideas for a companion dress for Galinda. How about you two come see me sometime in the morning on Sunday? That way we'll have plenty of time for ideas and fittings." Elphaba nodded again and smiled.

"Thank you for doing this Hallie, I know you're usually pretty busy."

"Ah, for you two, I would gladly clear my schedule for the entire year, who wouldn't want to work with you?" She chuckled and Elphaba blushed. Hallifax saw them out of the store. They exchanged pleasantries and the girls left after a bit of polite small talk, Galinda remaining brooding the entire time. They ate an early dinner and Elphaba sighed as they walked back through the gates, Galinda hadn't said a word the entire time.

"Well, what now my sweet?" Galinda didn't answer for a minute and Elphaba could tell she was thinking so she just let her be.

"Can we stay in?"

"Of course." They reached their room and Galinda took Elphaba's hand before she could go and loose herself in a book.

"Elphie?"

"Yes?"

"Would you mind reading to me for a bit?" Galinda looked down sheepishly and blushed. Elphaba smiled at her and pressed another gentle kiss to her forehead.

"Of course." They parted ways to get ready for bed, Elphaba simply taking her shirt off, before walking over to her desk and retrieving her reading glasses as well as a novel before going over to Galinda's bed and lying down. Galinda settled on her side against her, her head on her chest and one arm draped lightly around Elphaba's waist, aware that the area was still slightly tender. Elphaba began to read and Galinda closed her eyes, falling asleep listening to the cadence of Elphaba's voice, the breath as it filled her lungs, and her heart beat providing a rhythm for it all, and she thanked whatever gods existed in this world or the next that Elphaba had survived to be here, and to be who she was.


	6. Chapter 6

**LuciferOfTheSouthPole: Thank you, I will, of course, keep updating until the end.**

Sunlight filtered through Galinda's window, landing square in Elphaba's eyes. She opened them and blinked before looking at the face of a blissfully sleeping blonde not an inch from her nose. For a moment she was confused, but then she remembered the previous night, how Galinda fell asleep while she was reading and how she had followed suit after setting the book and her glasses to the side. Somehow, her right arm had become trapped beneath Galinda's neck and head, it was numb and the muscles were hurting as well as the fracture in her bicep, but none of that caught her attention. What held her attention instead was the light hitting Galinda's hair and making it look like spun gold, the way her shoulder and side moved gently as she breathed, the way one of the blonde's legs was crooked around hers, the way her arm shifted and drew her closer as she slept, how the light danced across her porcelain skin and through her lashes, highlighting their dark gold color. She moved her non-pinned hand up to gently cup the blonde's cheek, rubbing her green thumb across her cheek bone, caressing her. Elphaba quietly sighed and bit her lip as tears misted her eyes and her heart thumped painfully. _Don't wish Elphaba, don't you dare start. It'll only hurt worse when she rejects you._ _ She could never love someone like you and you know it. For one thing you're a woman, and for another you're green. No one's ever loved you, __Melena said she did but that was probably just the customary form of goodbye to someone that you don't dislike, and your Grandfather is obligated to,__ what makes you think she would __of her own free will__? _Despite the words, and the beginnings of an argument swirling in her head she leaned forward and gently brushed her lips against Galinda's, knowing that when Galinda rejected her when she finally grew a pair and told her how she felt, she would always remember how Galinda's lips felt against her own. She pulled back and sighed forlornly. Her hand moved from Galinda's cheek to her hair, stroking it gently. The blonde stirred slightly in her sleep tightening her arm around Elphaba's midsection and scooted closer, pressing herself flush against Elphaba and nuzzling into her chest. The green girl glared up at the ceiling through the corner of her eye. _Are you kidding me!? I'm stuck in bed, with the woman I love, contemplating how unlikely it is that she feels the same or would ever feel the same and she just happens to move closer and... __L__et me tell you why this is bullshit! _Elphaba's internal rant ground to a halt when Galinda began to fidget and quietly murmured her name. She stopped stroking her hair and gently placed a hand on Galinda's back, rubbing up and down soothingly. The blonde seemed to relax slightly and for a moment there was peace, then the blonde slowly opened her eyes, and immediately felt her heart rate increase at the sight of a green chest in front of her nose. She pulled back slightly and rested her chin against Elphaba's chest, looking up at her as she rubbed her eyes with a sleepy hand that coincidentally hid the light blush forming on her cheeks.

"Morning Elphie." Elphaba smiled down at her and kissed her forehead.

"Good morning my sweet." Galinda blushed again before it occurred to her that she was laying on Elphaba's arm. She quickly sat up, freeing the aforementioned limb.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't realize I was on your arm! Why didn't you wake me!?" She picked up Elphaba's arm and examined it as the green woman sat up. Elphaba chuckled at her concern and laid a hand on top of the blonde's on her arm.

"It's fine Galinda, it doesn't hurt." To be honest it ached from being in the same position all night, but with the pressure removed the fracture and burns were no longer hurting, so technically she wasn't _exactly_ lying, she just wasn't telling her the whole truth. Galinda looked at her suspiciously, but in the end decided not to push it. The blonde sighed and absent-mindedly rubbing gentle circles into the back of her hand. Galinda seemed to be thinking about something serious, but she didn't say anything for a while. Finally, Elphaba brought her hand up to cup her cheek, gently bringing her focus up from her hand to her face.

"What's wrong my sweet?" Galinda seemed to debate with herself for a moment longer, chewing her lip as she did so before releasing the tenderized bit flesh only to answer Elphaba's question with a question.

"What was your childhood like?" Elphaba's face darkened very slightly and her eyes were full of a cold sort of detachment.

"I didn't really have one, suffice to say it was violent and just leave it there okay?" Elphaba tried to get up, thinking her answer sufficient, but Galinda pulled her back down to the bed.

"Please, tell me?"

"Trust me, you don't want to know."

"Elphie, please, tell me about it. You don't have to go into detail if you don't want to, but please." Elphaba took a deep breath.

"Alright. My mother died about a year after giving birth to Shell. I was about eight, Nessa was around five. The funeral was actually quite grand according to Nessa," Seeing Galinda's confused look she went into a bit more detail. "I wasn't allowed to go, only Nessa and Frexspar, I guess Nessa met my Grandfather before I did but she doesn't really remember it. Anyway, he came back, put Nessa and Shell to bed, and then proceeded to get totally wasted. He was abusive before, but if you throw alcohol into the mix it's just plain bad. He hated me since I was born, but he didn't dare get rid of me, first because His Eminence needed an heir and then because Nessa needed me, so guess who became target practice." She sighed. "Basically, after my mother died Frexspar became as he is now, before that it was slightly more muted by Melena's presence. Melena didn't really care for me either, but she was my mother and she did actually want to do right by me, once she got over my skin, and the teeth, _and _the whole water thing... Anyway, like I said my Grandfather was the first person to really care about me, and honestly, after three years, it's still a little weird for me."

"You weren't allowed to go to your own mothers funeral?!" Elphaba refused to meet Galinda's eyes.

"No..." She bit her lower lip before continuing. "Frexspar and Nessa... blame me for her death... They have for a long time." Elphaba had turned away from Galinda and the blonde allowed her a very brief moment. Galinda moved forward on the bed, wrapping her arms around Elphaba's scrawny waist and nuzzling into her shoulder.

"What happened?" She spoke softly, not wanting to seem harsh or uncaring.

"She was murdered..." Galinda was shocked by this, but she fought to keep it from showing.

"How is that your fault?" The blonde asked quietly

"She died protecting me."

**Flashback: Twelve years ago**

_Rain splattered down around the Thropp home, Elphaba looked out the window, wondering at how something so beautiful was so deadly to her. Melena was in the kitchen getting lunch ready, and Nessa was trying to make Shell's first words related to Unionism, but the boy kept getting distracted by the rain or the fire. A door opened and closed in the back of the house, Melena looking up from some celery, she quietly walked to Elphaba, gently placing her hands on the small girl's shoulders._

"_Elphaba, take Nessa and Shell somewhere and hide them, keep them there until I come get you." Elphaba nodded and went to collect her younger siblings, taking them into the pantry and opening a small trap door and lifting Nessa and her chair, setting them down in the sizable compartment and lowering Shell down after her._

"_Elphaba, what's wrong? What did Mommy say to you?" The green girl knew something was up, but she also knew that Melena did not want the younger Thropps involved._

"_Mother has a private visitor, and she wants some time to talk to him, some things might be said that she just doesn't want you to hear. I'll come get you when it's safe." She closed the hatch and spread soil over it, covering the seams completely and tromping around on top of it to make it look like nothing had happened. After thinking on it for a couple seconds, she drew in the dirt over Nessa and Shell, to any regular person, it would look like a child's scribbling, but Elphaba knew that her father would easily be able to figure it out, before she could talk she used to scribble incredibly crude images of what she wanted or where she wanted to go, and even though Melena knew her "work" the best, she had explained it to Frexspar for situations like this, in this case telling him where Shell and Nessa were hidden. Elphaba left the pantry, quietly slipping through the house until she reached a vent that you could use to see into the kitchen and spy on whoever it was that was in there. She crawled into the vent, loosening the bolts so that she could help her if she needed to. Melena stood in the kitchen talking with a man wearing a green coat and top hat, she couldn't see his face, but she could tell that he was mad and Melena was scared._

"_Give me my child!"_

"_I told you! It was a miscarriage!"_

"_Then why was this," He held up the green bottle that Melena had given Elphaba. "Under a child's pillow upstairs!?"_

"_Because I thought that every child needs something of their mothers!"_

"_Then why didn't the other two rooms have something of yours!? Huh!?"_

"_I haven't figured out what they would like! And she was enamored with it when she was younger!" He took a half a step back._

"_She?" Melena put her hands on her hips._

"_Yes she. I have three children, two daughters and a son, and none of them are yours."_

"_How old's the eldest."_

"_Six."_

"_You're lying." He stepped even closer, placing a hand on her throat just beneath her jaw._

"_No, I'm not."_

"_Six year olds can't do multiplication and division." He squeezed her throat. "Tell me the truth Melena."_

"_She has always been an intelligent child, I taught her. She was bored in her math classes and always had her homework done by the time she got home, so I'm teaching her at home to give her something to be proud of."_

"_I'll ask one more time... How old?" He squeezed her throat tighter and she glared at him defiantly, refusing to answer. His hand continued to tighten and Elphaba caught her mother's eye by shifting a little in the vent, getting ready to spring on the man if he didn't release Melena. Elphaba could hear her struggling to breath as her eyes closed and she went limp. Elphaba shot out from the vent, slamming square into his back and biting his neck with her still sharp baby teeth. The stranger cried out in pain and released Melena, attempting to get Elphaba off of him. He bumbled around the kitchen, slamming Elphaba into the cabinets and reaching for something to hit her with. When he was far enough from her mother she jumped off of his back, landing lithely on the kitchen floor. She glared at him as she wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, Melena gazing at her daughter in minor surprise. The man had his hand clasped over his heavily bleeding neck. Melena pushed Elphaba slightly behind her, hiding the girl._

"_What the hell was that?!" _

"_Nothing involving you." He stalked closer, threatening her again._

"_Let me see it."_

"_No." He picked up the knife she had been using to chop celery._

"_Move."_

"_No." He shoved her violently out of the way, causing Elphaba to spring again. She slid between his legs and onto his back again, kicking off of it and sending him sprawling forward, he hit his head on the corner of the counter and went down. Elphaba turned around to check on her mother, helping her up._

"_Are you alright, mother?" Melena smiled softly at her daughter, gently stroking the side of her face._

"_I'm fine Fabala, but we should definitely go." Elphaba nodded. Melena started off toward the back door and Elphaba was about to follow when she felt cold metal slicing downward through her back, throwing her to the floor and pinning her there with the force and weight of the blow. _

"_Got you!" She understood what had happened and fought to push her attacker off of her. Melena whirled and a horrified expression crossed her face before she ran over and shoved the man off of Elphaba, kneeling beside her and pulling her into her lap. She was crying as she tried to stop some of the bleeding, gently stroking Elphaba's hair with her free hand. The man looked confused. "Melena what are you doing? Get away from that little demon before it kills you!" Melena looked up at him with tears streaming down her face._

"_She's not a demon! She's your daughter you stupid son of a bitch!" The man looked confused and then horrified as he saw eyes just like his weakly glaring at him from what appeared to be a child made of shadows. He swallowed his horror and picked up the already bloodied knife, his demeanor suddenly colder than ice and almost militaristic._

"_Give me that thing Melena, this is unnatural and it must end." Melena held Elphaba tighter and stood up, backing away slightly._

"_No Oscar! When she was born it's true that I considered killing her, but I couldn't do it then and I absolutely won't let you do it now!" Oscar glared at her before quickly advancing on her and hitting her in the head hard enough to send her flying to the ground and Elphaba loose from her grasp. Elphaba knew that her mother was getting hurt trying to protect her and so she moved away from him as quickly as her suddenly uncooperative limbs would allow. He advanced on her quickly, holding the knife high and bringing it down hard. Elphaba managed to shift to the side enough that instead of being buried in her heart, only the edge of the blade got to taste her blood, cutting into her side. Her hand had come across a meat fork that had been knocked to the ground and she threw it hard, making it bury itself in the middle of his chest and a little to the right, directly above his heart. Unfortunately, the tines weren't long enough and stopped about a centimeter from his heart. He made a strange choking sound and chuckled psychopathically._

"_You really are my daughter, huh?" He sighed. "More's the pity I suppose." He raised the knife again and Elphaba rolled to the side, the blade slicing across her back. She continued to move minorly and avoid being stabbed again for a while, managing to buy herself and Melena time by throwing utensils at him every time she came across them. After about two minutes though, blood was everywhere, she had lost all feeling in her extremities, and she knew for sure that this time she wouldn't be able to avoid it. She looked directly into his eyes with a hard and steely glare that an eight year old shouldn't possess, as if daring him to do it. He smiled mirthlessly, raising the knife again. Elphaba was actually ready to die at this point in her life, she knew that no one actually depended on her alone and that the world would be just fine, if not better in her opinion, with out her. The knife came down and in a blur of motion, Melena threw herself over Elphaba, the knife going straight into her heart. For a beat there was nothing, then there was the sound of hooves galloping up the rode and people shouting to each other. Oscar looked up and out of the kitchen window, blanching before pulling the knife out and running. Elphaba knew that Melena didn't have long, she knew that there was nothing she could do to save her or even slow her death to the point where someone else could, and tears flowed openly down her cheeks as Melena moved off of her and Elphaba took her mothers hand in her own. At first Elphaba was afraid it wouldn't work, but then she felt the connection. She knew that Melena wouldn't be able to speak at the moment, so she used all the strength she had left in her little body to establish a telepathic link. Distantly she heard the front door crashing open, but what she heard the most were Melena's words to her, telling her how brave she was and that Melena was okay with this, but Elphaba would have to take care of her siblings and Frex for her, and that she was sorry that she hadn't really been much of a mother for her. Elphaba felt her body being moved and before the connection could be broken, she heard something that she never thought anyone would ever tell her._

"_I'm proud of you Fabala, and I love you." Then there was only blackness for both of them, but only one of them would wake up from it._

**End flashback**

"... I cried when I was told that she died, but I haven't since then."

The girls sat in silence for a moment while Galinda just held onto her shaking friend, wondering at the fact that she wasn't crying now. Elphaba's body was tense in her arms as she mulled over all that she had just been told, realizing that by comparison, her life was perfect and sheltered.

"C'mere." Galinda gently pulled Elphaba back till they were both lying down again. The blonde moved her hand to Elphaba's side, feeling a raised ridge beneath the fabric of her bandaging, hearing Elphaba gasp sharply and feeling her flinch, she gently caressed and massaged the area around it until the muscles relaxed. "That was not your fault." She used her finger tips to gently seek out the scars that changed Elphaba's breathing pattern and massaged around them till the muscles relaxed.

"But if I'd just stayed out of it-"

"From what you told me if you hadn't intervened, he would have killed her anyway." Galinda's voice was calm and soothing.

"But at least there would've been some hope of-"

"No Elphie, you know just as well as I do that part of what kills people with strangulation is a snapped hyoid, and even if her hyoid didn't snap, the damage to the nerves and muscles would have been very severe. He sounded physically strong, if he used his nails he would have quite literally ripped her throat out, and attempts at resuscitation, skilled or not, usually kill the one that you're trying to save anyway. It was a no-win scenario." Galinda began to work up and down Elphaba's sides. "You did what you could, and for an eight year old, you did incredibly well, and I'd bet you anything that Melena knew that." Her hands reached Elphaba's shoulders where they lay against the blonde's chest and she could feel them relaxing into her more and more as she tenderly massaged the hard muscles, avoiding the patches of gauze that raised the fabric of the linen. "You were smart in hiding Nessa and Shell and you were incredibly brave to try and protect your mother that way." She moved to her neck and began working out the knots on the back of her neck with her thumbs before moving to under her ears, across her jaw and up to her temples. When she was done she gently turned Elphaba's face to her, looking her straight in the eyes as she spoke. "So don't let me ever hear that this was your fault, and don't ever let me hear you say you're ready to die." Her voice was soft, yet firm. Elphaba stayed quiet for a bit, mulling the blonde's words over before sighing softly.

"You're really good at this therapy stuff, y'know that?" The blonde smiled and planted an affectionate kiss on her forehead as the taller girl had done for her so many times. Elphaba's stomach growled, causing both of them to giggle at her body's bad timing.

"Well, as you are my first patient and you appear to be hungry, I insist upon breakfast." Elphaba carefully sat up, the blonde following. They got off the bed and Elphaba donned her shirt and boots while Galinda changed into a light yellow dress.

"Y'know, I think I'll be able able to take the bandages off by tonight."

"Just in time for the dress fittings tomorrow." Elphaba rolled her eyes and snuck her arms around Galinda's waist, turning her towards her and swinging them around so she was in front of the door.

"Or another night at the Warehouse..."

"Why Miss Elphaba! Are you trying to get me drunk?"

"Maybe. We are in college you know." She flexed her arms slightly, bringing the two ever so slightly closer together.

"Then I insist." They smiled before both began laughing, their noses brushing.

"Come on, we still have breakfast and I have a few make up classes to get through first." Galinda groaned as Elphaba led her out of the room and out of Crage Hall. Elphaba laughed at her as Pfannee and Shenshen accosted her once again. The green girl blew a cheeky kiss at Galinda as she glared at her for not saving her from the two harpies before Elphaba sauntered off and Galinda couldn't help but think how different she was once you got to know her, and how much she loved this side of her.

"So?" Pfannee asked as they sat in their favorite cafe, each sipping their favored caffeinated beverages.

"So, what?"

"What's going on with Elphaba and Averic?!" Galinda sipped her latte and shrugged.

"Nothing actually. When I asked her about it she laughed, a lot."

"She... laughs?" Shenshen asked, baffled.

"Well yeah, she doesn't just throw our sarcastic barbs and cackle at how close to home they end up being. She's actually an interesting person as it turns out."

"You got to know her? As in she _talks_ to you?" Galinda practically slammed down her cup she was so irritated with the two of them.

"Yes. She possesses a mouth as well as a brain and utilizes both unlike some people." She stood and exited the cafe, heading to her only class, she couldn't believe that she had ever been friends with those two. As she walked back to her dorm, she continued to think of Elphaba's promised night at the Warehouse, wondering what Elphaba would sing this time. A warm tingling started up in her stomach as she contemplated the night to come, to the extent that she rushed back to their shared dorm to begin debating on what to wear. When Elphaba walked in the door that night she smiled, she could hear the distinct sounds of someone rummaging in the closet. She walked over to the open door, leaning against the door frame.

"You know, we still have at least three hours, right?"

"I know, but I need to decide on what to wear. I don't want a repeat of last time, but I want to be..."

"Seen?"

"Yeah." Elphaba walked into the closet, placing one hand on her waist as she reached by her, picking out a white shirt and a black corset, walked over to her own closet and pulling out a set of brown leggings and then turned around and took out a set of black leather knee highs with a slight heel.

"These'll work." She handed the articles to Galinda and went to do what remained of her school work. Galinda smiled at the back of her head before going into the bathroom to change.

"Wow, I should ask your advice more often." Galinda was leaning against the door frame and Elphaba had a hard time trying not to let her shock or the tingling between her thighs show. She smirked seamlessly.

"I have been known to give good advice upon occasion."

"Ha Ha, go get changed you, it's almost time." Elphaba gathered her clothes.

"As my mistress commands." She winked saucily as she passed the blonde. Galinda laughed.

"You could never have a mistress, you're much to headstrong." She heard a laugh resound from the bathroom before Elphaba emerged, dressed as she had been last Saturday.

"Oh I don't know, you could probably do it." She moved to the door so she missed Galinda biting her lip to release some of the tension that the mental image brought to her body. The blonde stood and followed Elphaba to the door.

"We won't be taking the garden route again right?" Elphaba laughed lightly.

"No, we'll go through the gates and stop for dinner along the way."

"Where?"

"I happen to know of an excellent establishment not far from here, a little place called The golden Harvest." Galinda walked with Elphaba through the crowded streets until they stood in front of a small courtyard, which was in front of an inn. Elphaba led Galinda in and they sat at the bar, deciding on what they would eat and then Elphaba placed their orders.

"How do you have the money for eating somewhere like this when you don't have the money for clothes?"

"I rarely eat here, and I do get a bit of money from my messenger job and the pay from the Warehouse is decent, it's enough for getting materials to repair my clothes but not enough to buy new ones. Besides, why would I when my current clothes are still serviceable."

"May I remind you of the blackened and diced dress and your burnt over shirt?"

"Meh, I can fix it. There has definitely been worse."

"Like what?"

"Someone decided to dump red colored water on me in an attempt to change my color."

"What happened?"

"Well, I was working at the time and ended up with a pile of ash..."

"I thought your water allergy only burnt you?"

"Not necessarily, on occasion the steam created by the reaction burns holes in things or just flat out catches them on fire, although where the flames come from and why they can burn material without requiring a spark is a mystery."

"That sounds... Painful." Elphaba shuddered.

"It is. Anyway, how was your day?"

"I actually spent most of it trying to decide what to wear."

"And then I simply walked in and solved a problem that you had been struggling with for hours?"

"Yeah." Galinda's voice was playfully sarcastic and Elphaba smiled at her, the bar maid coming by with their food shortly afterwards.

"So what did the Harpies want."

"Honestly? They wanted to know what was up with you and Averic." Elphaba laughed again.

"Why do they care? I mean honestly, they don't like Averic and they really don't like me."

"I have no idea." Galinda put on a fake tough face and wrapped an arm around Elphaba's waist. "But if he even tries to take you from me I will rip him a new one." The two of them failed to hold straight faces and laughed, Elphaba's sharp mind quickly encouraging her to flirt with the blonde.

"Well then I suppose I shall rebuff all other advances made on me, I shall just have to tell them I am taken, otherwise who knows how many dashing young suitors would end up with new holes in their bodies." The two laughed again and finished the rest of their meal with friendly banter. Once they had finished Elphaba thanked the bar maid and settled the fee before linking her arm with Galinda's and leading her out.


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry this took awhile... I had another idea that wouldn't get out of my head until I wrote it down and ended up publishing it...**

Elphaba lead Galinda through the streets of Shiz to the Warehouse, getting her by the bouncer with a simple look and taking her back to the room that Galinda had followed her to last time. The unusually colored girl went around the room, removing and replacing bricks as she became Alpha, finally coming to stand behind Galinda, wrapping her arms loosely around her waist as the blonde looked at her set list.

"So these are the songs for tonight; you'll be singing all of these? Don't you get to choose?" Elphaba cocked her head away from Galinda's ever so slightly.

"I do get to choose, these are just my options. The band collaborates together to rehearse some songs and then they give the vocalist of the night a list. The vocalist chooses the song and all they have to do is tell the band, then they're good to go. Although they do take requests as long as the artist tells them what they want at least a week ahead of time."

"The band must be really busy all the time then huh?"

"Yeah, but their pay is pretty good."

"And yours?"

"Meh. A bit above minimum wage, but if you recall I usually work two jobs."

"Why do I never see any money on your side of the room?"

"Well, unlike some I prefer to keep it out of sight and on my person." The raven haired girl kissed the blonde on the cheek to sooth the sting from her little jibe. "Now my sweet, I do believe that you should be heading out. I've given strict instructions tonight that you be watched by some friends of mine, but if you could stay close to the stage it would be easier for me to keep an eye on you." Elphaba gently pulled Galinda to the door with her, walking with her down the hallway and showing her a door that she hadn't seen last time. "Go through this door," The blonde looked at her with an arched brow. "well if you come out with me then they'll think that you are either here to replace me or I'm introducing you as a companion." Galinda rolled her eyes but went through the door as asked. Elphaba smiled at her back and sighed before turning and exiting onto the stage. A cheer went up for her and she smiled shyly, blushing slightly. The blonde was close to the stage and found this to be incredibly and endearingly adorable, wondering what she was so shy about while at the same time liking that the girl got some positive feedback from people. Elphaba walked to the mic.

"So how is everybody doing tonight?" There were varied responses and quite a few along the lines of 'I'm better now that you're here' roared around the petite blonde at the edge of the stage. Elphaba smiled more openly. "Alright, well, I'm gonna start off with another Kelly Clarkson song for a... friend, and then it's all up to you guys." They cheered their agreement and Elphaba smiled again before turning and looking to the band for them to start. The introduction started playing and Galinda noticed Elphaba's fingers tapping on her thigh to the beat and rhythm, she was counting herself in, but the movement of her graceful green fingers was straight up beautiful and oddly entrancing.

"_I don't wanna be left behind,_

_Distance was a friend of mine_

_Catching breath in a web of lies_

_I've spent most of my life_

_Riding waves, playing acrobat_

_Shadowboxing the other half_

_Learning how to react_

_I've spent most of my time,"_

"_Catching my breath, letting it go, turning my cheek for the_

_sake of the show_

_Now that you know, this is my life, I won't be told what's _

_supposed to be right!_

_Catching my breath, letting it go, turning my cheek for the_

_sake of the show_

_Now that you know, this is my life, I won't be told what's_

_supposed to be right_

_Catch my breath, no one can hold me back, I ain't got time_

_for that_

_Catch my breath, won't let them get me down, it's all so_

_simple now_

_Addicted to the love I've found_

_Heavy heart, now a weightless cloud_

_Making time for the ones that count_

_I'll spend the rest of my time_

_Laughing hard with the windows down_

_leaving foot prints all over town_

_Keeping faith kinda comes around_

_I'll spend the rest of my life_

_Catching my breath, letting it go, turning my cheek for the _

_sake of the show_

_Now that you know, this is my life, I won't be told what's_

_supposed to be right_

_Catch my breath, no one can hold me back, I ain't got time _

_for that_

_Catch my breath, won't let them get me down, it's all so simple now"_

Her eyes locked with Galinda's.

"_You helped me see_

_The beauty, in everything!_

_Catching my breath, letting it go, turning my cheek for the_

_sake of the show,"_

Her eyes left Galinda's as she continued through the stanza, leaving the blonde to smile at the 'thank you' hidden so close to the surface of those words.

"_Now that you know, this is my life, I won't be told what's_

_supposed to be right_

_Catching my breath, letting it go, turning my cheek for the_

_sake of this show_

_Now that you know, this is my life, I won't be told what's_

_supposed to be right_

_Catch my breath, no one can hold me back, I ain't got time_

_for that_

_Catch my breath, won't let them get me down, it's all so _

_simple now_

_Catching my breath, letting it go, turning my cheek for the_

_sake of the show_

_Now that you know, this is my life, I won't be told what's _

_supposed to be right_

_Catch my breath, no one can hold me back, I ain't got time_

_for that_

_Catch my breath, won't let them get me down, it's all so simple now!"_

The song finished and Elphaba leaned on the mic a bit, panting slightly. The crowd cheered for her, but Galinda didn't hear that, she was too busy watching Elphaba, noting the light sheen of sweat on her body that made her seem to glow. Elphaba continued through the other songs while Galinda attempted to dissect the lyrics of the song to find whatever Elphaba had meant for her to find, yet by the time Elphaba was walking off the stage and Galinda to the door to meet her green friend in the hallway just off the stage, she still had no answer. Galinda met up with Elphaba and took her hand, lacing their fingers together and only letting her go when they reached the dressing room.

"You were amazing tonight Elphie." The green girl turned at least three shades darker and Galinda found it captivating.

"Thank you, my sweet." Elphaba squirreled her stuff away, turning to Galinda as Elphaba, and even though Alpha looked nice, Galinda wouldn't really have her any other way... _Except for maybe..._Galinda blushed furiously and Elphaba looked at her curiously. "Are you alright Galinda?" The green girl touched her arm and Galinda snapped out of the little fantasy she had sucked herself into.

"Yeah, I just, um, got lost in my head." Elphaba smiled scandalously

"Galinda Upland! You were thinking something pervy weren't you?"

"N-no! I would never-"

"Oh please, it's written all over your face." Elphaba came closer, stopping within a foot of the smaller blonde.

"I never-" Elphaba wrapped an arm around her friend's petite waist, bringing her lower body flush with the blonde's as she bent her torso down, her face close to Galinda's, lips almost brushing.

"Oh really? Not even once?" Elphaba's voice was quiet and slightly husky, making Galinda gulped as she stared into darkened eyes. The blonde didn't respond and Elphaba chuckled, releasing her and stepping back even though she missed the warmth immediately. "It's alright Galinda, I was only teasing. Come on, we should go." She held out a hand to Galinda, and the blonde took it, blushing furiously from head to toe. Elphaba smiled at her, laughing and pulled her through the hallway and back out the door, waving to the bar maid and the children playing on the upper level. They walked through empty streets and Elphaba took them both over the garden wall to stand amidst crocus and other early spring flowers. Elphaba smiled again, looking up at the full moon as it emerged from behind some clouds, illuminating her breath in a silvery cloud. "It's a beautiful night."

"Yeah..." Galinda felt an incredible urge to add 'but not as beautiful as you.' to that, and it was true, Elphaba was beautiful, silvery moonlight pooled across her features and made her eyes appear to glow amber, her naturally feral grace reminding Galinda of the wolves that she heard about in the Gillikin, she seemed... peaceful though, like somehow a large weight had lifted from her shoulders, and as Galinda thought about it, Elphaba had been acting... lighter, all day. Galinda laced her fingers with Elphaba's again, wondering how they had come apart in the first place, and the green girl turned her attention to the gesture briefly before looking back up at Galinda and smiling again. Galinda smiled back and hugged her, catching her off guard. "Thank you Elphie." Elphaba wrapped her arms around Galinda and the blonde loved how they felt, enjoying their protection and warmth just as much as Elphaba enjoyed the feeling of the petite blonde against her.

"For what my sweet?"

"Being so amazing, being you, taking me out, sharing your world with me..." She felt the taller girl sigh a little and chuckle into her blonde hair.

"No, thank you for not running at the first sign of trouble." Galinda looked up at her, there noses were inches apart. The blonde smiled and gently kissed the tip of a sharp green nose, which scrunched in a teasing and adorable way at the contact.

"Who knows what would happen if I did." They laughed lightly before Elphaba took her hand.

"Come on, we should head back, it'll start raining soon." Galinda looked at her quizzically.

"How do you know?"

"It's a skill I've developed over time," Elphaba smiled at her over her shoulder. "it comes in handy when you're allergic to water y'know." They reached the tree and Elphaba made Galinda go first, telling her they still had a little time before it started to rain and since she was the one that asked Galinda to go out with her, she should play the guy and allow her lady to enter first. Galinda dropped gracefully through the window and Elphaba jumped silently through just as the first drops started falling. She turned slightly, looking out the window behind her. "Wow, looks like we made it just in time." Lightning flashed and was quickly followed by thunder, drawing a squeak from Galinda. Elphaba turned to look at her curiously, noting her reaction and drawing her own conclusion. "C'mon, we should change out of these clothes." They separated to change, Elphaba moving quickly, enjoying the absence bandages to complicate the process, once she finished she moved to the bathroom door and heard Galinda muttering about the laces on the corset. "Here." Elphaba gently pushed the door open, walking forward and moving Galinda's hands away from the laces, undoing them with deft fingers. After a few seconds the corset dropped to the floor and the blushing blonde turned around to look at her taller counter part.

"Um, thank you..."

"Well it's my fault you got stuck in that thing in the first place, so it's only fair." Thunder sounded again and Galinda bit the inside of her lip."I'll be waiting for you when you're done changing, alright?" The blonde nodded and Elphaba came closer to her and kissed her forehead gently. "I'll be right outside." Galinda nodded again, letting the girl walk away. Elphaba shut the door behind her and leaned against it briefly before pushing off of it and moving to lean against the wall next to it instead. Galinda stripped quickly, out of her clothes from that evening and into her night gown before the next thunder clap. She exited the bathroom and jumped when she saw Elphaba leaning against the wall. The green girl held her hands up in a placating gesture, trying to soothe the fear she created. "Sorry I didn't mean to scare you, I just wanted to be nearby in case you needed something." She pushed off the wall, coming to stand in front of Galinda, gently taking her hand and squeezing it."Fresh dreams, I suppose." The green witch let go of Galinda's hand and went toward her bed. Thunder clapped again and Galinda squeaked, rushing forward and wrapping her arms around Elphaba's scrawny waist. Elphaba looked over her shoulder at the small blonde, her suspicions confirmed. She took Galinda's hands in her own where they rested against her stomach. "I'll stay with you, if you want." Her voice was quiet, soft and soothing. Galinda nodded into her back and moved backward.

"Do you mind if we go to my bed?"

"Not at all." Galinda let go of her briefly so that she could turn around and they moved to Galinda's bed. They lay down on their sides facing each other. The thunder clapped again and Elphaba saw tears welling in Galinda's eyes. She moved forward on the bed and wrapped her arms around the petite girl, Galinda's arms rested against her stomach and her forehead against a green chest.

"Elphie?"

"_Little child, be not afraid_

_The rain pounds harsh against the glass_

_Like an unwanted stranger_

_There is no danger_

_I am here tonight,"_

Elphaba's voice floated through the air and vibrated in the torso that Galinda was resting her head on. The blonde was distracted from the thunder by it, but she was still afraid.

"_Little child_

_Be not afraid_

_Though thunder explodes_

_And lightning flash_

_Illuminates your tear-stained face_

_I am here tonight_

_And someday you'll know_

_That nature is so_

_This same rain that draws you near me_

_Falls on rivers and land_

_On forests and sand_

_Makes the beautiful world that you see_

_In the morning_

_Little child_

_Be not afraid_

_The storm mask your beloved moon_

_And its candlelight beams_

_Still keep pleasant dreams_

_I am here tonight_

_Little child_

_Be not afraid_

_The wind makes creatures of our trees_

_And the branches to hands_

_They're not real, understand_

_And I am here tonight_

_And someday you'll know_

_That nature is so_

_This same rain that draws you near me_

_Falls on rivers and land_

_On forests and sand_

_Makes the beautiful world that you see_

_In the morning_

_For you know, once even I_

_Was a little child_

_And I was afraid_

_Buta gentle someonealwayscame_

_To dry all my tears_

_Trade sweet sleep for fears_

_And to give a kiss goodnight_

_Well, now I am grown_

_And these years have shown_

_Rain's a part of how life goes_

_But it's dark and it's late_

_So I'll hold you and wait_

_'Til your frightened eyes do close,"_

Galinda's eyes slid shut as she listened, thankful that Elphaba was doing this for her even though she was running the risk of a sore throat in the morning after how much she had sung tonight.

"_And I hope that you'll know_

_That nature is so_

_This same rain that draws you near me_

_Falls on rivers and land_

_On forests and sand_

_Makes the beautiful world that you see_

_In the morning,"_

Galinda's breathing evened out against Elphaba's chest and the green girl smiled as she quietly finished the song.

"_Everything's fine in the morning_

_The rain will be gone in the morning_

_But I'll still be here in the morning."_

Elphaba sighed into golden locks, thinking how wonderfully strange it was that this was the second night in a row that they had fallen asleep together in the blonde's bed. The last thing she remembered before falling asleep was the stirring of something that she had thought to be long dead within herself; hope.

**Enjoy the short fluffy chapter while you can my pretties... You only have it because Galinda would've killed me if I didn't give Elphaba a break and get those bandages off soon. She really wants to see her girl in that dress...**

**NOTICE: THIS STORY WILL BE MOVING UP TO AN M RATING WITH THE NEXT CHAPTER.**


	8. Chapter 8

**JK, this won't be M yet.**

**LuciferOfTheSouthPole: Mwahahahaha... Good to know the last chapter was rage worthy. ;)**

**Varia: Wow, thanks for the enthusiastic feedback...**

Galinda awoke to a crash and sat up, looking around frantically, and becoming alarmed when Elphaba was nowhere to be seen. Sunlight was filtering through the blinds, and Galinda could hear the sounds of people beginning to stir within the dormitories. Her fear abated quickly when she heard cursing coming from the bathroom. She smiled to herself as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and walked to the bathroom door, poking her head around to see what had caused the noise. Elphaba sat in only a pair of pants and a bra, oil shining on her torso and arms as she cleaned up glass from the floor.

"What happened?"

"I dropped my oil."

"What were you trying to do?"

"Well, I was bathing but then I looked at the time and figured that I should wake you up so that you had some time to get ready for the dress fitting with Halli, so I went to put the bottle up and it just slipped." She picked up a shard of glass and cursed as the oil caused it too slip and cut her palm. "Oh come on! I just got rid of the other bandages!" Elphaba shrieked in exasperation and Galinda chuckled at her, going to the sink and taking out a first aid kit. "Don't tell me that you put that there." Elphaba groaned.

"Yes I did, I have a right to after I found you _bleeding out in your bed._" Elphaba grimaced.

"I was hoping you weren't mad about that." Galinda knelt in front of her and took her hand, palm up to inspect the damage.

"I will probably never let it go. I still can't believe you did that."

"Well if you remember we weren't exactly on friendly terms at the time my sweet." The blonde's hands paused in their task and she sighed.

"I remember... Still, you could have gone to the infirmary."

"And miss out on what we have now? Not a chance in hell." Elphaba smiled and Galinda looked at her, attempting to hold her sulky expression and failing miserably when she smiled moments later.

"Well that's good to know." The cut wasn't deep so Galinda just wrapped it in gauze, gently securing the bandage and shaking her head. "What is it with you and getting hurt?"

"I honestly don't know, maybe I'm just unlucky." Elphaba shrugged and finished cleaning up. "Anyway, I'll go hunt for a shirt and leave you to whatever unnecessary process it is that you spend two hours doing in here in the mornings."

"It's not unnecessary, I just want to look good." Elphaba paused in the doorway.

"I think you're beautiful no matter what." She moved into the bedroom, closing the door behind her and Galinda stared at it in shock for about a minute before snapping out of it. The blonde blushed thoroughly, her heart beating faster in an inexplicable excitement at the green girl's words. _She... She thinks I'm always... Beautiful? _She blinked rapidly and was blushing thoroughly throughout her morning ritual as she thought about Elphaba's words, how they made her feel, and eventually the dress fitting. When she emerged Elphaba was laying on her bed, fully dressed, a book in hand. She admired her for a moment, noting the slice of green flesh visible between the top of her pants and the hem of her black top, displaying her pointed hip bones, the way her hair splayed out across the pillow, how focused she was on her book, how tight the pants were on her legs, the 'unfortunately' loose belt around her waist, how relaxed she seemed overall. Briefly, Galinda wondered how it was that Elphaba didn't see it, but her musing was interrupted by the subject of her gaze, who unbeknownst to her had been watching her and thinking similar thoughts. "Ready?" Galinda nodded and Elphaba sat up, putting the book to the side, as she stood. She came around the foot of her bed, meeting Galinda at the door. The green girl opened the door and allowed Galinda to exit first, following after the blonde down the corridor, but taking the lead once they were outside. Elphaba led them off campus and through the streets of Shiz, leading them toward Hallifax's shop. As they walked, Galinda thought.

"Elphie?"

"Yes my sweet?"

"Would you like to come home with me for spring break?" Elphaba stopped in her tracks, surprise evident on her face. "Unless you have plans that is..."

"No, no. Why would I? I disowned two out of four members of my family and the other two will be quite busy, I'd intended to just stay here, but I would be more than happy to go with you." The blonde smiled at her and they continued walking.

"Sorry to kind of spring that on you, but it'll take some time to inform my parents that I'll be bringing you as my plus one, and break starts the day after the Ozdust..." Elphaba laughed lightly as she opened the door to the shop, ushering Galinda in.

"It's fine my sweet, it's not like I have a lot to pack or buy." Galinda rolled her eyes and gently slapped Elphaba's arm.

"Careful dear, I need her green, not black." Hallifax emerged from the back of the shop in a pinstriped black petticoat, white button down dress shirt, black slacks, and four inch black heels.

"Wow Halli, I see my 'cross dressing tendencies' have rubbed off on you."

"Cute dear, but you're not getting out of the fitting." Hallifax and Galinda snared her between them again and she groaned.

"Why are you two so desperate to see me in such a non-functional style of clothing?"

"Because your so utilitarian that it's like seeing a blue moon."

"It just doesn't happen." Hallifax agreed with the blonde as she pushed the door to her office/fitting room and they drug Elphaba in. Galinda stayed with Elphaba while Hallifax got the dress. Elphaba sighed, shedding her white over shirt, stripping out of the black top beneath it (Galinda was glad to know that she had the good sense to wear a strapless bra but wondered where she got it), slipping out of her boots as she began to undo her belt buckle. The belt fell to the floor and Elphaba got to work on her pants. Suddenly, Galinda had the image of her own hands popping the button and pushing rough black fabric down, gliding against silky green skin. She blushed thoroughly as her imagination pushed past the boundaries of what Elphaba was currently doing. Hallifax came out with the dress and directed Elphaba to a pedestal before they actually got the dress on her. It was exquisite exactly as Hallifax had drawn it, the beadwork shimmered in beautiful contrast to the darkened colors, catching Galinda's eye as she approvingly noted how it accented Elphaba's figure and drew attention to her bust, which was far more noticeable now that it wasn't contained in a wrap. The dress actually fit practically perfectly and Galinda noticed how Elphaba's posture and demeanor had changed, she was standing almost like Galinda did when at a formal function, it was evident that she did indeed know about proper dress and etiquette for formal functions, every motion was elegant, but was still filled with her shadowy grace. Hallifax briefly left the room to retrieve the jewelry she had commissioned specifically for this dress.

"Who taught you about this?"

"About what?"

"Formality. From how you usually are this is a complete surprise."

"My mother started it but died before she could finish it, leaving my grandfather to pick up where she left off nearly a decade later." Hallifax re-entered the room and handed Elphaba the earrings as she moved behind her to put her hair up with two sapphire and lapis lazuli hair sticks. She put the earrings in and Galinda looked on as Hallifax stepped back to display her masterpiece. Elphaba was incredibly beautiful in the dress. The front was fitted and pushed her breasts up very slightly, though they didn't need any help to begin with, but this allowed the dress to leave even less to the imagination in a subtle, elegant and oddly refined way. You could see her scars, but Hallifax had been telling the truth, their color went well with the dress. Elphaba didn't even need any make up, her eyelashes were naturally thick enough to draw attention to her eyes better than any eyeliner or mascara, to be honest the blonde envied her. Overall, there really weren't words to describe her, she was beyond beautiful. She was sexy and elegant, holding a dark and gallant allure, yet unmistakably feminine, she was stunning and Galinda felt like a teenage boy picking up his date and seeing her dress for the first time. Elphaba and Hallifax were talking about something but Galinda was ignoring them and openly staring at the green girl that had come to capture her so completely in a little less than a year.

"What do you think dear? Should we get rid of the black fabric in back?" Elphaba turned so that Galinda could see what they were talking about. While the lengths were quite nice they didn't really add anything to the dress.

"Hmmm... Well, while I think it would have been a good idea for what the dress was originally for, they were more innocent than the sultry look the dress gives Elphaba could accommodate, so yeah, you should get rid of them." The two other women nodded, Elphaba blushing very slightly at her word choice.

"Well alright, we'll schedule the next fitting after we've seen what needs to be done on Galinda's dress but you should only need one more fitting just to be sure." Elphaba nodded and Hallifax helped her out of the dress, parting the lengths of fabric in question to reveal a black zipper with a design like the black laces of a corset printed over it. That was quite a nice touch though, it added to the back just as the beadwork added to the front. Elphaba was out of the dress relatively quickly and back into her other clothes, indicating that it was Galinda's turn. Galinda stood and Elphaba took the chair she had been sitting in, crossing her legs and openly watching Galinda as she removed her dress and stepped out of her heels, frowning when the girl self consciously wrapped her arms around herself, she just couldn't even begin to fathom why the usually confident blonde was suddenly so self conscious. Hallifax had previously noted the attraction between the two girls and decided to do a little something to help it along.

"Elphaba, be a dear and turn around, I want this to be a surprise." Elphaba grumbled but stood and faced the wall. Hallifax came out from the closet that she had disappeared into and walked over to Galinda, smiling at her expression and helping her into her dress quickly. The expert put her hair up and secured a ruby choker around Galinda's pale neck, dangling ruby earrings in her ears and a ruby cuff bracelet to her right wrist She then winked at Galinda and leaned in to whisper in her ear. "This should get you close, all you need to do is, uh, close the gap." Then she pushed the small girl toward Elphaba's back and smiled reassuringly when she looked back at her. Hesitantly, Galinda raised a hand, gently laying it on her shoulder.

"You can turn around now Elphie." Galinda's voice was quiet, her anxiety showing slightly. Elphaba turned around, her jaw immediately dropping and her eyes widening. The skirt had two layers, one on top of the other, ending just above her ankles, but the material was thin and billowy displaying her legs through the petal like slit on the side that started at mid thigh, and the hem was a dark almost blood red that faded upward to a vanilla white. It was strapless and came just under the apex of her arms, showing a dangerous amount of cleavage. In back, there was a large gap that showed the majority of Galinda's flawless and toned back, the black leather laces to do up the dress criss crossing it and keeping it together. Even though the design was relatively simple, on Galinda it would be enough to make any man fall in an instant.

"Close your mouth Elphaba, you'll catch flies." Elphaba's jaw snapped shut and she didn't even bother to look at Hallifax as Galinda smiled at her.

"You look stunning my sweet." Galinda blushed and thanked her quietly while Hallifax was beyond frustrated, the two girls were quite close at that point and neither one was doing anything about it.

"Hallifax probably has some, uh, adjustments to make so you should probably..." Galinda nodded and turned back to Hallifax walking over to her while Elphaba fought to keep herself from staring at her ass as she walked away. Hallifax noticed this and smiled, realizing that Elphaba would definitely be the first one to make a move, but it was obvious that she was scared Galinda didn't feel the same. They worked for a bit on Galinda's dress and then took a lunch break, in which Hallifax happily noted Elphaba's seemingly permanent blush. In the end, they decided that no adjustments needed to be made and it was agreed that they would come back a few days before the ball to pick up both dresses and make sure that Elphaba's dress worked for her. The two girls exited the shop, Elphaba still blushing furiously. They walked down the street and Elphaba looked at the sky.

"Well, do you have anything you need to do today?" Galinda thought about it for a moment before shaking her head. "Hmm, then whatever shall we do with ourselves?"

"How about we go get you a new night gown?" Elphaba raised an inquisitive brow.

"Really? We have the time to run about Shiz and do whatever, and you want to get me a new nightgown?"

"Like I said, it won't get done if I don't go with you." The green girl rolled her eyes as Galinda took her arm and drug her off down the street in search of a store in which to procure the aforementioned article of clothing. They were passing a paper boy when Elphaba saw something.

"Wait, look at the head line on today's paper." She quickly bought a copy and frowned as she read it again.

'KILLER CLAIMS ELLEVENTH VICTIM'

FOR THE PAST WEEK A SERIAL KILLER HAS BEEN KILLING YOUNG LADIES FROM SHIZ UNIVERSITY, PROMPTING A STRICTER CURFEW. THE GIRLS SEEM TO BE RANDOM, NO CONNECTION BETWEEN THEM.

POLICE WONDER WHEN THIS MAD MAN WILL BE SATISFIED AND STRIVE TO END HIS KILLING STREAK...

Galinda read over her shoulder and shuddered, wondering if she had known any of them. Elphaba lowered the paper, gears turning very quickly in her head, she turned to face Galinda a worried look on her face.

"Well, I guess this means no more late nights out until this guy is gone..."

It was evening, a few days later, the girls sat quietly in their dorm, Elphaba watching Galinda over the top of her book. The beautiful blonde was biting the end of a pencil while she studied for the sorcery exam in a few days, right before the Ozdust. She had her hair down in golden ringlets and her face was scrunched in an adorably confused expression as she stared hard at the page. A very slight tapping sound emanated from a small box next to her bed, drawing her from her contemplation of the blonde. Elphaba picked it up, flipping the lid open and seeing the crystal inside throb a bright red and shake, creating the tapping sound. She tapped it and shut the lid, putting aside her study materials and standing up, taking a satchel from where it rested against her bed.

"I have to go out for a bit." The blonde looked up from her book.

"What? Elphie that murderer's still out there, where are you going?" Elphaba sighed with her hand on the door knob.

"I have to renew my wards Galinda, don't worry, I'll be fine."

"I could come with you!"

"No Galinda, I am not taking you with me. If something went wrong and you got hurt..." Her grip tightened on the knob and she left the sentence hanging for a moment. "Just, no. Stay here, where I know you'll be safe. I'll probably get back late, but seriously, don't worry, this always takes a while." She opened the door and walked out before Galinda could reply.

"Well this just won't do." Galinda got up and set her books aside, changing into a less obvious outfit and putting on a pair f stylish yet functional boots and heading out the door to follow Elphaba. Elphaba herself was already at the first crystal point, renewing the enchantment. In fact, Galinda didn't even see her until about ten, the moon was high in the sky, the night was cold and she was about to give up when she saw a faintly green shadow flitting across campus toward the gates. The blonde smiled, recognizing her even in the silvery moonlight. Galinda walked towards the gate, thinking to surprise her roommate as she walked by the administrative building.

Elphaba had just finished laying the last ward when she heard a scream. A scream that she had heard only once before but that she would always remember. The green girl left her satchel and its contents on the ground and ran as fast as she could toward the administrative building.

Galinda heard a gargling growl emanate from the eaves of the building next to her and slowly looked up, screaming at the thing clinging to them. It had a humanoid body, the posture was strange though, the torso overly long, the spine far too visible beneath a shredded and torn black cloak, the limbs too thin, the neck too long, everything out of proportion, one hand with long razor sharp claws, a blood stained scythe resting in the other. The worst part was its face. It had skinned some poor man for his face and stretched it on its featureless black head with hooks. A long, pointed black tongue snaked out from sharp white teeth and licked the lips of its gruesome mask, thick saliva dripping down from its maw.

"_A PURE SOUL..."_ Its voice was a raspy hiss as it crawled down the wall toward Galinda to compensate for her moving away. _"I HAVEN'T COME ACROSS SOMETHING LIKE YOU IN QUITE A WHILE..." _Its face moved into something like a fond smile. _"I STILL REMEMBER HOW THE LAST ONE TASTED... SO SWEET, LIKE SUGAR..." _Galinda's back came into contact with the well and she felt terror flood her, the well was only open on one side, massive hedges guarded it on three sides, the staff had always said it was to minimize the possibility of drunken students falling in, even though there was a cover bolted onto it anyway, but everyone had always thought that it served some darker purpose, the rumors of which were to numerous for any truth to be gleaned. The thing was closing on her, raising the scythe and she shut her eyes tightly, wishing that she had just listened to Elphaba. She waited for the scythe to fall and end her life, a single tear falling from her eyes as she thought of Elphaba, remembering everything that she wanted to do with the green witch, the three words that she had wanted to say to her for such a long time, and how none of it would happen now. Instead of feeling cold metal, she heard the sound of a blade cutting through flesh, followed by a grunt and the feeling of a warm liquid splattering on her. Her eyes snapped open and she almost wished that she had left them closed. Elphaba stood in front of her, hands gripping the shaft of the scythe tightly as she pushed against it, scars glowing and sparking, scorching it, the blade of the scythe through her left shoulder and the tip was six inches from Galinda's chest. _"YOU."_ The scars that had burned themselves into her back the last time lit up and her arms seemed to pulse with a brilliant light, throwing the thing back to slam against the building. She lowered her arms to her sides, fists clenched as a sword formed in her right hand.

"Me." Her eyes and voice were filled with a venomous contempt as she stalked forward. "I knew it. No human kills like that that many times without being caught or even seen." It hissed at her and sprung towards her, swinging the scythe like an axe. Elphaba dodged, slicing the sword across its back. It whirled before she could regain her balance for another attack and slammed her backward into the building, cracking the stone behind her. It slashed for her head but she grabbed its arm and pulled as hard as she could, using her other hand on the back of its head to smash its face into the stones that she had so recently been pinned to. It brought the haft of the scythe up and hit her hard in the ribs, forcing her to stumble backwards. The thing swung the scythe again, but Elphaba jumped back, resulting in only a scratch across her abs. Her sword changed to a pike and she thrust into its chest, the blade slicing through the creature. It writhed and she pressed her advantage, pushing on the haft to force the creature to the ground. The thing kicked her hard, sending her flying back into the building. She hit the wall and slid down it, unconscious.

"Elphie!" The thing turned its head toward her and advanced on her, licking its lips. It reached her, raising the scythe to end her. Galinda refused to shrink and cower, choosing instead to launch herself forward at it, hitting it square in the chest and knocking them both backward. The blonde wasn't strong enough to maintain her position on top and it picked her up by her cloak front, slamming her into the wall and bringing its clawed arm back to strike.

"_YOUR SOUL IS MINE!" _It began to bring its arm forward, but something flashed between the two of them and its arm fell to the ground.

"Not tonight." Elphaba brought the sword back and sliced its head off cleanly. The body fell to the ground and the two of them watched as it melted away before their eyes, leaving thirteen red crystals in its place. Elphaba turned to Galinda, and the smaller girl was afraid that she would be mad with her, but instead she was wrapped in a bone crushing hug. "Don't ever scare me like that again." She said into blonde hair. Galinda wrapped her arms gently around Elphaba and finally let go of how scared she'd been, crying into a darkly clothed shoulder.

"I'm so sorry Elphie, please don't be mad at me, I just wanted to help you, and I couldn't bear it if you hated me again..." Elphaba's arms loosened slightly so that she could lean back and try to make eye contact with the blonde. She placed one green finger under the blonde's chin and brought her tearful gaze up to her own.

"I could never hate you my sweet, I-" She seemed to want to say something else, her eyes shifting away from Galinda for a second, and suddenly it clicked for the blonde, the way Elphaba had been acting lately, Hallifax's advice, the songs that she had sung for her. Galinda wrapped her arms around Elphaba's neck drawing them closer together, both hearts beating way too fast. Pink lips were inches from gray green ones when she stopped to whisper to her green girl.

"I know." Then the blonde closed the gap between their lips. They each felt a jolt of electricity run through them and Elphaba's arms found Galinda's waist, tightening around it, bringing the blonde closer to her. Elphaba's tongue traced Galinda's bottom lip and the blonde obliged to her silent request, opening her mouth and granting Elphaba access. The two only parted when air became a necessity.

"Since I couldn't say it before, I love you." Galinda smiled against Elphaba's lips.

"I love you too Elphie." The wind kicked up and Galinda shivered in Elphaba's arms, making the green girl laugh.

"I suppose we should get inside before you freeze."

"That would be greatly appreciated, but I am dragging your fine ass down to the infirmary."

"Galinda!"

"No. I am taking you to the infirmary end of story." Elphaba did her best impression of Galinda's famous pout. The blonde couldn't resist the poked out lip and leaned up to capture it, initiating another kiss. When they broke apart Elphaba sighed.

"Now you're just playing dirty."

"Mm, would you love me if I didn't?"

"I would probably love you no matter what my sweet. At least let me get my stuff before you drag me down there." The blonde nodded and they broke apart, Elphaba bending to retrieve the crystals before they went to get her stuff. As they walked to the infirmary their arms were linked and they were both smiling uncontrollably.

**Someone requested a kiss? Well guess what I gave you two.**


End file.
